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CLEGG GROUP APPOINTED ONTO £15BN DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION FRAMEWORK
the Department for
LOVELL REPORTS
RECORD YEAR DESPITE
CHALLENGING HOUSING MARKET CONDITIONS
National partnership housing specialist, Lovell, has reported a record set of results for 2025, contributing to parent company Morgan Sindall Group plc’s full-year results announcement to the London Stock Exchange.
With strong and robust earnings growth, the Group delivered a strong performance in 2025, with Group revenue increasing by 10% to over
£5bn, while adjusted Operating Profit increased by 39% to £232.6m.
Lovell delivers multi-tenure communities and provides innovative residential construction, regeneration, and retrofit solutions across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Against the backdrop of continued housing supply pressures across the
The Nottingham-headquartered company has secured a place on four regional lots of the Low Value Band which will cover the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, East of England, the North West and West Midlands.
The framework will be utilised to deliver the DfE’s £15bn school rebuilding programme over the next six years and will drive forward the DfE’s school delivery programme to provide exceptional, modern and sustainable facilities to leave a lasting legacy within local communities.
Christian White, Pre Construction Director at Clegg said: “Being appointed to the DfE Construction Framework 2025 is fantastic news for Clegg. We are delighted to have secured a place on four regional lots which aligns perfectly with our operating model, we are especially looking forward to delivering sustainable construction projects which will help shape the future of education across the UK”
Michael Sims, Managing Director at Clegg said: “Appointment to the DfE Construction Framework represents an important milestone for Clegg. It reinforces our strong track record in the education sector and our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable learning environments.”
UK and a constrained sales market, its partnership-led model is helping local authorities and housing associations accelerate the delivery of much-needed affordable and mixed tenure homes.
Revenue increased by 5% to £903m (2024: £861m), while operating profit rose 16% to £42m (2024: £36.1m).
The company ended the year with a secured order book of £2.33bn, an increase of 7% from 2024, with 60% of work extending into 2026 and beyond, providing clear visibility over future delivery.
Managing Director, Steve Coleby, said: “We’ve delivered record results in a year where the housing market has remained under pressure, which reflects the strength of our long-term partnerships and the exceptional efforts from our employees.
Clegg Group is delighted to have been appointed onto
Education (DfE) Construction Framework (CF25).
WIENERBERGER PARTNERS WITH CHESTER ZOO
Building product manufacturer is joining forces with a conservation zoo to save some of the smallest but most vital species in the UK.
Building solutions provider wienerberger UK & Ireland has this week announced a new partnership with world renowned conservation charity Chester Zoo. wienerberger has pledged to provide product donations for construction projects at the zoo, and funding for a multiyear conservation programme supporting UK native species, particularly terrestrial invertebrates.
This partnership formalises the relationship between wienerberger and Chester Zoo, which began in 2024 when wienerberger donated more than 600 tonnes of blue sandstone to help construct a Himalayaninspired habitat for two rare snow leopards. Big cats Nubra and Yashin, whose species is recognised as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, have since bred and are now raising leopard cub Bheri.
In 2025, wienerberger contributed 15 tonnes of yellow
sandstone to shape the visitor areas within the zoo’s new Heart of Africa zone – the biggest ever zoo development in the UK. They also supplied a range of bird and bat nesting and roosting boxes from their eco-habitat collection, providing shelter for native bird and bat species throughout the zoo’s grounds.
Now, as part of a formal partnership, wienerberger has pledged £50,000 over the next five years to fund Chester Zoo’s programme dedicated to conserving native invertebrate species.
Invertebrates are vital for pollination, nutrient cycling, and upholding the resilience of ecosystems that support both our built and natural landscapes. Despite their indispensable role, these often-underappreciated species are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change and the ongoing loss of habitats. This partnership strengthens wienerberger’s ongoing commitment to promoting biodiversity, and conserving habitats for both people and wildlife.
UK METAL FABRICATOR SAYS MADE IN BRITAIN TRADEMARK GIVES IT A “REAL ADVANTAGE” IN A VERY COMPETITIVE SECTOR
An Essex and London-based specialist in architectural metalwork and fabrication has reinforced its commitment to domestic manufacturing by adopting the Made in Britain trademark, highlighting the value of British-made quality in an increasingly competitive construction sector.
Working across urban signage, infrastructure and commercial fit-out projects, Blackburn & Co. Ltd designs, manufactures and installs bespoke metalwork solutions entirely in the UK. The decision to adopt the Made in Britain trademark reflects growing client interest in provenance, alongside the company’s desire to clearly communicate how and where its products are made.
The company operates in a highly competitive market and regularly competes against overseas manufacturers for UK construction projects. As the Made in Britain trademark becomes more visible across the built environment, Blackburn believes it provides reassurance for clients and specifiers.
Mark Blackburn, Commercial Director at Blackburn & Co. Ltd, said: “This trademark, small though it is, gives the business a real advantage in what is a very competitive sector. The Made in Britain mark is something we are genuinely proud to display, not just as a commercial tool but as a statement of who we are.”
BENTLEY ACCELERATES STRATEGIC GROWTH WITH ESPO FRAMEWORK APPOINTMENT
BREEDON ENHANCES CLOUD HILL QUARRY WITH £870K ASPHALT SITE INVESTMENT
Essential construction materials provider, Breedon Group plc, has completed a major upgrade to its Cloud Hill quarry, following an £870,000 investment in the asphalt plant to enhance efficiency, resilience and energy performance.
Based in Derbyshire, Cloud Hill is home to one of the largest asphalt plants in the Breedon network, producing more than 350,000 tonnes of asphalt for customers each year.
The investment marks a significant operational milestone for the site and reinforces Breedon’s ongoing commitment to reliable, high-quality material supply.
The project focused on modernising key elements of the plant. Works included reducing the number of motors on site and replacing the screen and hot bins, allowing for more precise material grading, improved temperature control and increased production reliability. These upgrades will deliver clear benefits for customers, providing greater consistency, faster turnaround
times and enhanced confidence in ontime delivery.
The extensive works, which included major reconstruction of the plant, were successfully and safely completed two weeks ahead of schedule. This was achieved through close collaboration between Breedon teams and specialist contractors, ensuring customers experienced minimal disruption throughout.
Matthew Gelsthorpe, Operations Manager Aggregates & Asphalt said: “Cloud Hill is an important site for Breedon, and this investment will deliver tangible operational and customer benefits. By modernising the plant and reducing the number of motors in use, we’ve improved efficiency on site while also lowering energy consumption, which is a critical challenge for our industry. The upgrade further strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality asphalt reliably, on time and when our customers need it. These are the kinds of practical steps that will help us reduce our carbon footprint while continuing to support essential infrastructure projects.”
Leading construction consultancy Bentley has been awarded a place on ESPO’s Property, Building & Infrastructure Advice & Management Services framework (2664), covering five regions across the UK.
The consultancy has been successful on lots for the Midlands, North of England, South of England, East of England and London, covering Project Manager and Cost Management services. The framework bid was submitted in partnership with engineering consultancy, Rodgers Leask, Whittam Cox Architects and building services consultancy, CPW.
The appointment comes at a time of sustained growth for Bentley, with the consultancy having also been appointed to frameworks with Calderdale Council, Procure Partnerships and STAR Procurement.
Andy Halcarz, executive director at Bentley said: “Our appointment is a key milestone in delivering our strategic growth ambitions, enabling us to expand our presence across new and emerging regions.
“Backed by over a decade of successfully delivering major public sector projects, this appointment strengthens our ability to support a wide range of public authorities through a competitive, compliant, and trusted route to market.
“This comes during what is an exciting period for us as a business, having recently opened our London office in support of our growing presence in the South of England, and following a collection of team development milestones and appointments.”
The framework appointment will allow Bentley to offer expert support to public sector clients, with the procurement route offering clients Bentley’s services through a preapproved format, supporting risk reduction through compliance and cost certainty. Additionally, public sector social value goals can be embedded from the very start of the procurement process, ensuring lasting community benefit from public investment.
FIRST 30 HOMES HANDED OVER ON ICONIC £36M PORT LOOP SCHEME IN BIRMINGHAM
The first 30 homes on a high-profile £36m urban development scheme in Birmingham have been handed overahead of schedule.
Keon Homes, working in partnership with sister company Cameron Homes, has completed the two and threebedroom homes on Icknield Port Loop development for housing association partner Midland Heart, with many residents already settling in.
Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the
thoughtful design of the homes, the sense of community taking shape, and the smooth move in experience.
It marks an important milestone for Phase 3 of the scheme, which will eventually see the construction of 124 properties, a mix of different size homes and a small apartment block that straddles the canal corner.
All homes are being designed to be sympathetic to the heritage of the site and will be spacious and zero carbon ready, incorporating electric heating, hot water heat pumps and generating localised electricity through solar panels.
They will utilise sustainable timber frame construction methods and the first 30 properties all feature sawtooth roofs - a hat tip to an industrial past.
Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director at Keon Homes, commented: “Port Loop was a real statement urban regeneration scheme
for the local authority, yet hasn’t been without its challenges with two developers entering administration before they could start Phase 3. We came in and promised to build the 124 properties on time and to the highest standards and this first handover, ahead of schedule, reaffirms that commitment.”
He continued: “More importantly, we have delivered thirty much-needed affordable homes to individuals and families, giving them the opportunity to start new lives and form the beginning of new communities. That’s what this scheme is all about.”
Icknield Port Loop is the latest in a long line of successes for Keon Homes, who secured a record £60m year in 2025.
The company has evolved into one of the Midlands’ fastest growing affordable developers and a business that thrives on delivering complex projects that predominantly bring brownfield sites back to life.
COSTAIN APPLIES INDUSTRIAL COOLING TECHNIQUES TO CRITICAL WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
The innovative work at Crewe Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in Cheshire is being delivered through United Utilities’ Enterprise, which brings together United Utilities, Costain, and six other design and construction partners to deliver a £2.5bn package of major projects.
Costain has applied its industrial cooling expertise, which it has been providing to the energy sector for more than 20 years, at Crewe WwTW to support the refurbishment of two nitrifying trickling filter systems. The works involve the installation of new polypropylene pack media, which has been manufactured and assembled by Costain, to act as filters that use nitrifying bacteria to remove ammonia from the water and convert it into nitrate.
Costain, the infrastructure solutions company, has applied industrial cooling techniques to upgrade a key wastewater treatment site for United Utilities, delivering a phase of work ahead of schedule.
There is a big focus on ensuring projects leave a legacy to the region, both in the fabric of the design, the creation of new communities and the economic boost to a supply chain that is 90% based within a 25mile radius of the scheme.
Matt added: “Our mantra is ‘to do the right thing’ and this was put in place by the founding directors in 2017. We can only consistently deliver schemes ahead of schedule if you have the right supply chain in place, with transparent communications, trust and collaboration at the heart of the relationship. Port Loop is the perfect example of this in action. We’re utilising building experts and sub-contractors that are predominantly based within the West Midlands and have worked with us on numerous schemes before. In fact, last year we invested £48m with our suppliers. Developing the next generation of construction professionals is also important to us. This isn’t marketing rhetoric, this is reflected in the fact we are employing 15 apprentices directly or indirectly on this landmark scheme.”
The use of pack media to act as a filter is similar to methods used in industrial cooling, where pack media is installed in cooling towers to provide a large surface area to enable hot water and cool air to interact efficiently, encouraging the process of evaporative cooling.
Costain’s understanding of the conditions at Crewe WwTW and application of the industrial cooling techniques enabled the first phase of the works to be brought forward by 12 months, with phased refurbishments expected to continue throughout the year. Costain is also working with local supply chain partners to recycle the used media, minimising the environmental impact.
The upgrade to Crewe WwTW will support healthier conditions in the nearby River Weaver and, as the area’s population increases, help prepare the site for future demand.
The work forms part of United Utilities’ £13bn ‘Big North West Upgrade’, a programme that will deliver new infrastructure, improve water quality, replace ageing water pipes and reduce leakage through to 2030.
WILLMOTT DIXON INTERIORS APPOINTED FOR PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES
ON NEW LONDON FIRE BRIGADE HQ REFURBISHMENT
Willmott Dixon Interiors has been appointed to finalise Stage 3 and 4 design for a refurbishment for London Fire Brigade (LFB) at 8 Albert Embankment.
The project will see a significant overhaul of the historic building and landmark structure while introducing modern facilities and meeting standards for sustainability.
It comes after proposals were developed in late 2025 with the aim of delivering a refurbished and upgraded Grade II Listed building, bringing the space back into use as the Brigade’s new headquarters.
Key aspects of the original 1937 design will be preserved, while delivering a sustainable and modernised fire station. Alongside the main headquarters space, it will be home to approximately 840 staff, ensuring the Brigade can continue to serve London’s communities from this strategically important location.
Willmott Dixon Interiors will be progressing design to include renewal of mechanical, electrical and public health systems, installation of new life safety systems, wholesale window replacement, re-roofing, and re-cladding of the CMC building (the 1980s extension, formerly a control room).
New passenger lifts, partitions, ceilings, joinery and finishes will be installed throughout, along with a full refurbishment of the appliance bays and basement area.
Located on the ground to second floors, the fire station will temporarily vacate during construction, which is expected to commence mid 2027. Provision will be made to maintain operational support for the nearby Lambeth river fire station on the Thames. There will be a new space for events and exhibitions on the ground floor.
Procured via the SCAPE construction framework, this project will see Willmott Dixon Interiors deliver social value through job creation, education and skills development, and environmental initiatives. The contractor will also engage with local SMEs through a Meet the Buyer event, the Greater London Authority’s new SME business mentoring programme, and by establishing an on-site construction skills academy.
Opened by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937, the LFB’s restoration will seek to retain as much of the original structure as possible, including its grand Art Deco frontage, to ensure the listed building retains its historical significance as the ‘home’ of the Brigade.
FIRE SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION: WHY 2026 MARKS A TURNING POINT FOR THE SECTOR
Fire risk has long been an accepted reality in construction, but it has become more complex, more scrutinised and more consequential in recent years. Modern building methods, lightweight materials, temporary electrics and ambitious designs have made fire risk harder to predict and control. As a result, fire safety is no longer a one-off compliance exercise for contractors, but a live operational risk that evolves throughout the construction lifecycle.
In parallel, regulatory expectations continue to tighten. In the years following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, fire safety has remained firmly in focus, with policymakers and regulators seeking to close gaps in both building design and site management. As the industry enters 2026, fire safety is emerging as one of the defining challenges shaping how projects are planned, delivered and ultimately insured.
The changing nature of fire risk on site
Construction sites present a unique combination of hazards that can amplify fire risk if not carefully managed. Hot works such as welding, cutting and grinding remain a persistent concern, particularly because ignition can occur hours after work has finished. Smouldering materials, hidden voids and poorly monitored areas continue to feature prominently in post-incident investigations.
Material selection and storage also play a significant role. Timber, insulation products, solvents, adhesives and fuels can all contribute to high fire loads, especially on constrained or fast-moving sites. Where flammable liquids or gases are stored incorrectly, the potential consequences escalate rapidly.
Temporary electrical systems add another layer of risk. Exposed wiring, overloaded circuits and makeshift connections are common features on construction sites,
As sites become more complex and regulation continues to tighten, fire safety is quickly becoming one of the most critical risks contractors need to manage — operationally, financially and reputationally.
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Tracy Keep, Managing Director of Gallagher’s National Construction Practice Group
yet they remain a frequent source of ignition. Environmental exposure — including moisture, dust and mechanical damage — only increases the likelihood of failure.
One of the most notable emerging risks is the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries. Cordless tools, site equipment and e-mobility solutions are now standard across many projects. While these technologies bring clear efficiency benefits, battery failures can generate extreme heat, release toxic fumes and prove difficult to extinguish. For sites not designed with these risks in mind, lithium-ion incidents represent a fundamentally different fire profile.
Regulation continues to raise the bar
Fire safety regulation in the UK construction sector is evolving rapidly, with further change expected into 2026 and beyond. Recent updates to British Standards have extended guidance on fire safety in residential buildings, including high-rise developments and specialist accommodation such as care homes. Height thresholds, material classifications, escape strategies and
firefighting access requirements have all been reassessed, with significant implications for design decisions made early in the project lifecycle.
Alongside this, the phased transition away from long-established fire testing standards towards the European classification system marks a major shift in how materials are assessed and specified. For contractors, this has introduced new considerations around procurement, product selection and demonstrating compliance.
Mandatory sprinkler requirements in new care homes, introduced in 2025, further illustrate the direction of travel. Fire suppression systems are increasingly viewed not as optional enhancements, but as essential components of safe building design — particularly in environments housing vulnerable occupants.
Taken together, these developments signal a broader regulatory intent: fire safety is no longer about meeting minimum standards. It is becoming an integrated part of how buildings are designed, constructed and operated.
A defining issue for the years ahead
For many contractors, the challenge lies not in understanding individual requirements, but in managing how they interact. Fire risk now spans design, materials, site operations and sequencing, often requiring closer collaboration between contractors, designers, fire engineers and clients. As construction activity continues to evolve, fire safety is set to remain a central concern for the sector. The combination of more complex sites, new technologies and heightened scrutiny means fire risk can no longer be treated as an isolated compliance issue.
Looking ahead, fire safety represents more than another regulatory milestone. It marks a shift in expectations — one that requires fire risk to be embedded into decision-making at every stage of a project, from design and procurement through to construction and occupation. Those who recognise this shift early will be better positioned to protect their people, their projects and their long-term resilience in an increasingly demanding environment.
Gallagher offers the strength and positioning of a global insurance group, combined with the personalised care and attention of a local UK broker. With a rich history dating back to 1927, we believe we have the expertise and experience to meet your construction insurance needs.
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THE EVOLVING LANDSCAPE OF FIRE SAFETY & SECURITY
By Mark Hastry, Chief Technology Officer at Wireless CCTV Ltd
Fire incidents remain one of the most dangerous and costly risks within the construction industry. In the UK alone, construction-related fires exceeded 300 incidents last year, contributing to an estimated £1 billion in annual fire-related damage. These incidents unfold rapidly, as fires can begin within seconds and become catastrophic within minutes. When detection is delayed, the consequences can be severe, ranging from structural loss, operational disruptions and risks to life.
Traditional smoke detectors have limitations. In large, open, or highceiling areas, smoke can take a significant time to reach ceiling sensors. With outdoor sites, challenges such as wind dispersion and lack of enclosed spaces can lead to escalation. False alarms caused by dust, steam, or vapour can undermine trust in fire sensors and lead to costly downtime.
Despite this, video-based fire detection has emerged as a growing area of interest. Companies, such as WCCTV, have developed AI-driven analytics capable of identifying visible smoke and flame patterns directly through surveillance footage. Rather than relying on particles or heat reaching a fixed sensor, these systems analyse movement, colour and behavioural signatures associated with fire. When a
match is detected, alerts are issued in real time paired with visual evidence.
This approach offers several implications for fire safety management. Firstly, it provides an earlier warning in environments where traditional detectors struggle. Secondly, visual verification helps reduce false alarms by allowing teams to confirm whether an alert is a genuine threat. Lastly, as the analytics operate through existing camera infrastructure, they can be developed without additional sensors or wiring.
As material changes, complex supply chains and temporary work environments increase, the detection strategies must change with it. AI-based video analytics represents one of the major tools reshaping how organisations approach fire safety.
Fire safety obligations on construction sites sit within a clear regulatory framework. Under the CDM Regulations 2015, duty-holders must plan and manage work to reduce risks from fire. The HSE has issued enforcement notices where fine precautions were
found to be inadequate. Enforcement registers published by both HSE and local fire authorities show that failures in fire detection and emergency planning continue to appear among breaches, highlighting the legal and operational consequences of insufficient fire risk control.
Video-based detection isn’t positioned as a replacement for traditional fire sensors, but as a complementary layer. For example, WCCTV’s system integrates alerts, footage and incident logs into a single cloud-based platform. This provides a consolidated view of site safety activity and reflects a broader industry trend towards a unified safety and security platform.
This surveillance technology is already being used on construction sites. In these environments, early detection can make the difference between a contained incident and a major event hitting headlines.
As material changes, complex supply chains and temporary work environments increase, the detection strategies must change with it. AIbased video analytics represents one of the major tools reshaping how organisations approach fire safety. The adoption shows a shift toward proactive, evidence-driven monitoring that aims to reduce the likelihood and impact of fire incidents.
In a landscape where every second counts, the ability to identify danger at its earliest visible stage offers a meaningful advantage.
HKC ANNOUNCES INTEGRATION WITH ABLOY SMARTAIR FOR LOCKDOWN CAPABILITY
HKC Security has announced a new integration with Abloy’s SMARTair access control system, bringing together HKC’s proven alarm technology with SMARTair’s intelligent software. The integration will help deliver seamless, real-time lockdown for a range of environments such as schools, offices, healthcare, retail and those that require fast, reliable protection.
The integrated system allows for instant communication between alarms and door locks, enabling users to trigger a full lockdown within moments of using a keyfob or emergency button.
When a user presses a HKC emergency button or keyfob, the signal is transmitted via the HKC RF-RBX module to the intruder panel. From there, the system forwards a lockdown command to SMARTair’s Communication Hubs, which relay it immediately to all associated wireless locks.
Once a lockdown is activated, all designated SMARTair devices shift from their normal access mode into a secure state. Door status information, audit events and mode changes are tracked using the SMARTair software, while the HKC SecureComm app provides visibility on when and how the lockdown was triggered.
Users and installers have full oversight, with the ability to manage access rights in real-time, monitor activity logs or open doors remotely if required, combining user management and access control in one platform.
Lockdown does not need to be site wide, as individual doors or groups of locks can be secured instantly, even if they are connected to a different hub across the system, allowing organisations to implement targeted lockdown measures based on the location of an incident. This flexibility reflects the approach set out in Martyn’s Law, which highlights the importance of ensuring public settings are prepared to respond appropriately to security threats.
SMARTair is wireless and is designed to make installation fast and efficient,
with no need for complex door wiring or invasive work on existing infrastructure. As each SMARTair device communicates wirelessly with its nearest Communication Hub, the system can be installed quickly across new and legacy buildings, making it ideal for retrofit environments where sites cannot accommodate traditional wired access control.
This aligns with HKC’s products, where panels, keyfobs and RF modules are engineered for straightforward installation and minimal set-up time. The two systems create an agile and scalable solution that can start with just a few controlled doors and expand to cover large, multi-building estates without replacing existing hardware.
Whether upgrading older premises or equipping new developments, this technology gives organisations a modern, flexible and future-proof way to fully integrated lockdown and access control.
Damian Lloyd, Head of Marketing at HKC, said: “By combining HKC’s RF technology with SMARTair’s wireless locking capability, we’re offering a fully coordinated lockdown solution that is quick to install and powerful in an emergency.”
Pip Courcoux, Technical and Product Director at Abloy UK, said: “The combination of wireless SMARTair technology with HKC’s alarms will help to give organisations a powerful tool to manage emergencies quickly and confidently, all from a single platform.”
Fire Safety & Security
Ryan Donoghue, Head of Digital Engineering at AJ Digital
HOW BIM AND LASER SCANNING ARE IMPROVING FIRE SAFETY
By Ryan Donoghue, Head of Digital Engineering at AJ Digital
The Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 marked a turning point in fire safety legislation, prompting sweeping changes to how fire risks are assessed and mitigated in buildings. The UK’s Building Safety Act 2022 and updated Fire Safety Regulations now impose stricter compliance standards, requiring more rigorous assessments, detailed documentation and proactive risk management measures. These reforms highlight the critical need for accurate, data-driven solutions that enable construction professionals to integrate fire safety effectively at every stage of a building’s lifecycle. This means that technologies like Building
Information Modelling (BIM) and laser scanning are no longer optional, but essential tools in meeting these heightened standards writes Ryan Donoghue, Head of Digital Engineering at AJ Digital.
BIM and laser scanning are revolutionising fire safety by offering unprecedented accuracy and collaboration opportunities. By providing detailed 3D models and real-world scans, these technologies empower construction teams to design, test and implement robust fire safety systems with precision. Whether assessing cladding materials
for combustibility, modelling evacuation routes or retrofitting older buildings to meet updated safety requirements, BIM and laser scanning are indispensable in creating safer environments and ensuring compliance with modern legislation.
BIM offers an advanced, collaborative approach to designing and managing construction projects. By providing a 3D digital representation of a building, BIM enables architects, engineers and safety consultants to embed fire safety measures directly into the design from the earliest stages.
It allows for example, for the integration of crucial fire safety features - such as sprinkler systems, fire-resistant materials, smoke detectors and evacuation routes - into the virtual model. This ensures that safety measures are planned in harmony with other building components, reducing potential conflicts and costly changes during construction.
Through simulations, BIM can model how fire, heat and smoke will behave in a building, providing invaluable insights into potential risks and the efficacy of proposed safety systems. This predictive capability enables professionals to optimise evacuation routes and strategically position fire suppression systems.
BIM also includes tools that reference fire safety regulations and codes, allowing for continuous validation of compliance throughout the design and construction process. This reduces the risk of oversights that could lead to penalties or dangerous design flaws.
Laser scanning
Laser scanning, a process that uses advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, is another transformative tool for improving fire safety in construction. By capturing highly accurate, real-world data of a building’s structure, laser scanning generates a digital twin that reflects every detail of the physical environment.
The technology is particularly helpful when retrofitting fire safety systems into existing structures, especially older or heritage buildings, which can be a complex task. Laser scanning simplifies this process by providing a comprehensive 3D map of the structure, revealing spaces where systems like sprinklers or fire barriers can be installed without compromising the building’s integrity.
By capturing the layout of a building down to the millimetre, laser scanning helps safety consultants identify fire hazards, such as bottlenecks in evacuation routes or areas with insufficient fireproofing. Laser-scanned data can also be directly imported into BIM models, creating a unified resource for planning, analysis and communication. This synergy ensures that any adjustments made during retrofitting are reflected in the updated digital model, preserving accuracy for future maintenance or renovations.
The integration of BIM and laser scanning technologies empowers construction professionals to conduct more thorough and accurate fire risk assessments. By combining the predictive capabilities of BIM with the real-world accuracy of laser scanning, professionals can test various fire scenarios, including the spread of flames and smoke. These tests help identify weak points in fire safety strategies and enable proactive mitigation.
With highly detailed models, designers can also implement safety measures that are designed to the specific building layout, improving overall effectiveness. Equally as important, both technologies facilitate better communication between architects, engineers, contractors and safety officials, ensuring that fire safety considerations are addressed collaboratively and comprehensively.
However, fire safety does not end with construction - it requires constant vigilance through regular inspections and maintenance. BIM and laser
scanning provide critical tools for this phase as well.
The digital twin created through laser scanning and BIM serves as a living document that records the location and condition of all fire safety systems. Facility managers can refer to this model to plan inspections, track wear and tear and schedule replacements or upgrades. Automated systems tied to the BIM model can also alert managers to required maintenance tasks, such as replacing fire extinguishers or inspecting fire doors, reducing the risk of overlooked issues.
For older and historic buildings, implementing modern fire safety measures presents unique challenges. Preserving architectural integrity while meeting stringent fire safety standards requires careful planning and innovative approaches.
In such cases, laser scanning captures the existing layout of heritage structures without the need for invasive or destructive surveying techniques. This ensures that historical features remain untouched during the planning phase. Using BIM, fire safety features can be modelled and tested for their impact on the building’s aesthetics and functionality before physical installation.
Sustainability and costeffectiveness
In addition to improving safety, BIM and laser scanning contribute to more sustainable and cost-effective building practices. By accurately planning the integration of fire safety systems,
Fire Safety & Security
these tools reduce material waste and minimise the need for costly retrofits. Maintenance schedules based on precise data prevent unnecessary inspections or replacements, optimising resource use. Regular updates to the digital model also ensure that fire safety measures remain effective throughout the building’s lifecycle.
All this means that incorporating BIM and laser scanning into construction projects represents a significant leap forward in fire safety. These technologies provide unparalleled accuracy, predictive capabilities and collaborative opportunities, making buildings safer for occupants and easier to maintain over time.
For construction professionals and building managers alike, the adoption of BIM and laser scanning is not just a forward-thinking choice - it’s a necessary one. As the industry continues to embrace digital transformation, these tools will play an increasingly vital role in protecting lives, preserving investments and ensuring compliance with evolving fire safety standards.
For more information: visit: www.ajdigitalmanagement.com
NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY PROACTIVELY PROPS BRIDGE 42 TO ENSURE 2026 SEASON OPENING ON 28TH MARCH
NEW ACAS SURVEY ON THE EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT REVEALS THAT SICK PAY CHANGES WILL HAVE BIGGEST IMPACT AT WORK
Workplace expert, Acas, commissioned YouGov to ask which changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will have the biggest impact on bosses and workers.
New rights on sick pay topped the polls for both, followed by new protections on unfair dismissals. Employers ranked new paternity leave rights as their third biggest while workers opted for the new changes on flexible working.
The valuable insights gained from the results will help Acas target its support for workers and bosses where they need it the most.
Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said: It is clear from our polls that new worker rights on sick pay and protections from being unfairly dismissed from work are at the forefront in the minds of employers and workers. Acas will play a crucial role working with employers, workers and their representatives on the implementation of the Employment Rights Act and updating its advice and training. These reforms represent the biggest shake-up to employment law in a generation. Acas remain best placed as independent experts helping everyone at work throughout this period of change.”
The survey results revealed that:
• 43% of employers said that workers getting sick pay for the first day of illness rather than the fourth day would have the biggest impact on them and 36% of workers also listed it as their biggest impact too.
• Workers being protected from unfair dismissal after six months in a job instead of two years was the second most-commonly chosen reform with 31% of employers and 30% of employees selecting this.
• or employers, rights for paternity leave from the first day of employment was their third-most important reform (28%), while workers said making it easier to get flexible working arrangements at work (28%) was theirs.
New rules, brought in by the Employment Rights Act, regarding paternity leave and sick pay will come into force on 6th April 2026.
From 6 April, employees will be eligible for paternity leave from the first day of employment. Currently employees must have worked for their employer for 26 weeks before they are eligible.
From 1 January 2027, employees will be protected from unfair dismissal if they have worked for their employer for at least six months. Currently an employee must have two years continuous service to be able to claim unfair dismissal.
A dismissal may be considered unfair by law if there was no fair reason for the dismissal; the reason was not enough to justify dismissing them; or the employer did not follow a fair procedure.
In 2027 new measures will come into force intended to improve access to flexible working.
Flexible working can involve a change to when, where or how someone works. Employers and employees should follow the Acas Code of Practice on flexible working when handling a request.
Acas has an online roadmap of when all the new expected law changes in the Employment Rights Act are likely to come into effect, which includes webinars and training: Employment Rights Act 2025 - Acas
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has confirmed that Bridge 42, a key structure on its line, will be temporarily propped to allow safe operation of trains for the start of the 2026 season which will begin on 28th March, 2026. This proactive measure ensures that visitors can continue to enjoy the full heritage railway experience while a comprehensive repair programme is developed.
Bridge 42, which spans the River Murk Esk, has been closely monitored by NYMR engineers. Following detailed inspections, it was determined that temporary propping is necessary to guarantee safety and operational reliability. This measure will allow trains to cross the bridge throughout the 2026 season without disruption.
During the operational season, NYMR will finalise a full repair programme for Bridge 42, scheduled for implementation over the winter of 2026/27. This programme will restore the bridge to its long-term structural integrity and ensure its preservation for future generations.
Phil Sash, Director of Civils at NYMR, said: “Propping Bridge 42 is a carefully considered solution that keeps the bridge fully operational for the upcoming season. It also gives us the time needed to develop a detailed repair programme, which will be implemented over the winter months to secure the long-term safety and performance of this important structure. That said, propping does come with challenges due to the bridge’s location and access. The final cost of the project with propping and full repair works will be confirmed once we have received all final surveys and quotations—we are currently awaiting responses from five contractors.”
A major appeal has been launched to cover both the costs associated with propping the bridge and the vital repairs needed. NYMR aims to raise a minimum of £800,000 to enable the necessary repairs to be completed. Supporters can contribute by visiting https://nymr.co.uk/bridge42
STANNAH LIFTS DELIVERS SAFER HANDLING AND ENHANCED EFFICIENCY AT THE HARRIS FOLLOWING A £19 MILLION REIMAGING PROJECT
The Harris in Preston, Lancashire, has significantly improved operational efficiency and staff safety with the recent installation of a Stannah dumbwaiter.
Faced with the frequent challenge of moving heavy and fragile items between floors, The Harris Café needed an efficient solution that would provide a dedicated internal access route, removing the need to manoeuvre goods through public areas.
First opened to the public in 1893, the Grade I listed building has stood as a cultural landmark in Preston for over 125 years, hosting world-class exhibitions and collections that have inspired generations.
The Harris has recently undergone a £19 million redevelopment designed to restore, reimagine and revitalise The Harris for the 21st century, creating a more welcoming and accessible environment while preserving its rich heritage.
The transformational Harris Your Place project has been possible thanks to the generous support of its funders and partners, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Preston City Council, the UK Government’s Towns Fund, Arts Council England and Lancashire County Council, alongside contributions from trusts, foundations and individual donors.
The work
The refurbishment project included repairing the building to restore its architectural appeal while upgrading its infrastructure for modern use. This involved refurbishing 18 galleries, a new café with the installation of a Stannah Microlift dumbwaiter, plus visitor shop and event venue, as well as improving accessibility and enhancing visitor experiences.
Accessibility has been central to the design, with new circulation routes and inclusive features ensuring that every visitor feels welcome and represented.
Preston City Council has led the project in collaboration with Conlon Construction Ltd, who oversaw the major structural
works, and HUB Build, responsible for the interior fit-out. Buttress Architects served as lead architects for the restoration, while Ralph Appelbaum Associates developed the overall design strategy and visitor experience.
Direct Access provided accessibility consultancy to ensure inclusive design across all spaces, with Ridge and Partners LLP and Focus Consultants supporting the project’s delivery and quality assurance. Stannah Lifts managed the installation and provides ongoing maintenance of the dumbwaiter.
The solution
Stannah Lifts recommended a floor-level loading Microlift as the most effective solution for The Harris Café. Unlike traditional dumbwaiters that load at waist height, the floor-level Microlift allows items to be transferred directly on and off the lift using small trolleys, roll cages or pallets. The floor loading design significantly reduces the need for strenuous lifting and drastically lowers the risk of back injuries and other manual handling-related accidents. Its impact is being appreciated by staff.
The Microlift dumbwaiter features a galvanised steel supporting frame that can be erected quickly with minimal on-site building work and does not require a load-bearing shaft. With a 100 kg capacity, the Microlift 100B model provides fast and reliable transport of goods between floors, offering a cost-effective way to mitigate manual handling risks while improving operational efficiency.
To complement the surrounding environment, the Microlift car and landing entrances are finished in a durable grey baked-enamel coating, delivering both functionality and a clean professional appearance.
The results
The installation of the Stannah Microlift has delivered significant improvements in providing safe loading, transporting goods to the first and second floors of galleries and exhibitions.
Photography by Ben Harrison
By providing a dedicated internal route for transporting heavy and fragile items between floors, the dumbwaiter has made it easier for staff to manoeuvre goods, reducing manual handling risks and improving safety.
Fitted with a modern VVVF (Variable Voltage Variable Frequency) drive system, the Microlift delivers improved energy efficiency without compromising
performance or lifting power. This advanced drive technology ensures smoother operation, reduced power consumption and lower long-term running costs.
As a result, the Microlift now facilitates reliable and controlled movement of goods between floors while offering a quieter, more efficient and energyefficient solution for the client’s daily operations.
Timothy Joel, Assistant Director, Head of Culture for Preston City Council, shares: “The installation of the new floor-loading Microlift dumbwaiter from Stannah Lifts has greatly improved café operations and ensures safer handling of bulky items. It’s safer for our staff, streamlines workflows, and allows us to focus on further improving operational efficiency.”
With the redevelopment complete and operational logistics improved, The Harris is now better equipped to manage high visitor numbers and support its growing programme of exhibitions and events. As a result, the refurbished building is expected to attract an additional 100,000 visitors each year, building on its existing annual footfall of 350,000.
For more information, visit: www.stannahlifts.co.uk
RECOFLOOR CELEBRATES STRONG PERFORMANCE IN 2025
UK sustainable flooring recycling scheme
Recofloor welcomed 38 new members in 2025, rounding off an award‑winning year in which it collected 563 tonnes of flooring – enough material to cover 26 regulation‑sized football pitches.
This marks a 6% year-on-year rise in material recovered and brings the total collected since the scheme was founded by Altro and Polyflor in 2009 to 8,016 tonnes (the same weight as 5,726 black rhinos).
In addition to the flooring gathered in 2025 for recycling into products, 21 tonnes were able to be repurposed for reuse; this was made possible through valuable logistical and operational support from Headlam Group.
Throughout the year, Recofloor supported 126 collectors and expanded its availability in Northern Ireland, reinstating collections for waste vinyl flooring in the Belfast area through distributor Provincial Floorcoverings (PFL).
Alongside its core recycling activities, the Recofloor team remains at the centre of encouraging progress and collaboration across the industry. This included exhibiting at The Flooring Show for the first time and hosting its in-person Sustainability and Awards event at the Belfry Hotel, featuring talks from several key industry voices and attended by representatives of Altro and Polyflor.
Recofloor also celebrated receiving both a Green World Ambassador and a CSR
Award, recognising its commitment to achieving best practice in environmental and corporate social responsibility.
“2025 has been a really positive year for Recofloor, and we are delighted to be welcoming even more members to our scheme,” says Carla Eslava, Project Manager at Recofloor.
“Over the next year we will continue to increase support for our members and their clients through the implementation and deployment of Recofloor at project sites; additionally, we are looking at how we can improve operational efficiencies so that we further reduce the environmental impact of flooring across the industry.”
Recofloor continues to keep members updated through its monthly newsletter and annual Recofloor Awards, which remain open for entry until Friday 20th March 2026.
For more information visit: www.recofloor.org
OSSO AND PROMINENT PARTNERSHIP MARKS
£2M MILESTONE FOR AUTOMATED WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
OSSO, the specialist provider of fluid temperature control and separation solutions, and ProMinent UK and Ireland (ProMinent), a manufacturer of metering components and systems, have announced that their partnership developing advanced water treatment systems for construction has now exceeded £2 million in value. The collaboration has seen ProMinent act as a key technology provider for OSSO’s WTS20, an automated solids proportional dosing and telemetryenabled water treatment system. It is the first system of its kind to be deployed at scale on UK construction projects, helping projects meet rising environmental standards.
The milestone comes at a time when water quality is under unprecedented scrutiny, with growing pressure from both regulators and the public for contractors to prove discharges are properly treated in line with the Environment Agency’s EA2030 strategy. Announced in July 2025, the strategy was developed in response to rising concerns over pollution in rivers and groundwater, the need for more sustainable growth, and the impact of climate change on water resources.
Tristan Hughes, Business Unit Manager at OSSO, said, “Water is one of the most important issues facing the UK today, and construction has a responsibility to play its part. The Environment Agency is rightly taking steps to address the challenges
we’re facing across the country, and contractors are under growing pressure to show that discharges are treated properly and projects are meeting the highest environmental standards.
“The industry needs solutions it can trust, and the WTS20 delivers that through innovation and automation. ProMinent has been a fantastic partner from the very start, and we are successfully raising the bar for how water is managed on site.”
Conventional wastewater treatment approaches in construction require manual input, leaving projects exposed to errors when site conditions change rapidly, such as during heavy rain. OSSO’s WTS20 overcomes this by combining ProMinent’s dosing technology with automation and live telemetry where solids in the water are measured continuously, dosing is adjusted in real time and performance data is visible across the site. Once treated, water can be released safely without the need for any additional tankering or the risk of pollution incidents. This gives project owners confidence they can meet high standards while avoiding reputational damage and fines.
More than thirty WTS20 units have been delivered through the collaboration and are now in use on construction and infrastructure projects across the UK, including nine on the country’s largest infrastructure scheme and significant civil engineering contracts.
SISK INFRASTRUCTURE SECURES SIX-YEAR NATIONAL HIGHWAYS FRAMEWORK
Sisk Infrastructure has been appointed as one of three contractors for a new six-year framework to deliver a major programme of concrete road replacement on behalf of National Highways.
The new £968m national Legacy Concrete Roads Reconstruction Framework replaces the existing concrete roads framework, where Sisk Infrastructure delivered two reconstruction schemes.
This next framework continues the focus on full depth reconstruction and will be six years in duration, covering the RIS3 funding period but also overlapping with the beginning of RIS4.
Alan Rodger, Managing Director Sisk Infrastructure, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that we have been awarded a position on the new Legacy Concrete Roads Renewal framework, allowing us to bring best practice and value from our experience on the previous framework. We look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with National Highways and to working with our new framework partners and local supply chain to deliver this next programme of improvements.”
Tristan Hughes, Business Unit Manager, OSSO
INSIDE KRAMP’S NEXT DAY SPARE PARTS OPERATION
Investment in inventory, people, and facilities is delivering value for the Dutch spare parts business and its customers.
Construction industry newcomer, Kramp, runs its UK operations from a central distribution hub in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. It’s using expertise from the agricultural market to deliver a next day service for businesses in the construction sector.
Since announcing its move into construction, Chris Cashman, account manager at Kramp, says the company has quickly gained traction with plant hire businesses and contractors. They are responding positively to the efficiency and reliability of having a single point of supply for all their parts needs, allowing them to focus on operations rather than managing multiple orders and deliveries.
“Looking at the existing supply chain, there is no one out there that does spare parts, consumables for workshops, and things like PPE with our size and scale,” he adds.
Construction companies are seeing this scale as an opportunity to rationalise their supply chain, says Chris. He believes that Kramp provides efficiency by being a sole supplier for multiple assortment lines, with a single invoice and delivery.
“Business leaders are examining how to be as efficient as possible to improve profitability. Looking at the supply chain
is an easy way to do that, considering how much time they spend placing orders, processing invoices and collating deliveries,” states Chris.
Kramp estimates that they now stock 5,000 construction-specific lines, complementing a further 80,000 products in stock. For construction firms operating plant equipment weighing 16 tonnes or lower, they believe they have the assortment to meet every consumable and workshop need.
Kramp moved into its Biggleswade distribution centre in 2021. During a typical week, 9,000 boxes are shipped, involving picking 21,000 lines. Around seven outbound arctics are sent to Kramp’s customers nationwide daily.
They aim for next-day delivery for all but the most complex deliveries. To do this, a full-time operations team of over 60 is augmented by temporary labour to reach 100 at peak times. Two shifts are run from six o’clock in the morning to ten in the evening, Monday to Friday.
Delivering a same-day dispatch and, where possible, next-day delivery remains central to Kramp’s offer to its customers. With most customers waiting until the end of the day before they place their order with Kramp, the warehouse’s peak activity is between six and ten o’clock in the evening.
For new customers looking to try Kramp’s service, Chris notes that opening an account is simple, and it provides access to the kramp.com webshop, where they can browse the range and compare prices with their existing suppliers. He admits that it is unlikely that a company will move its entire business to Kramp in the early days. However, experience from the agriculture market shows that consistently high levels of service and product availability grow business over time.
Interested parties can learn more about Kramp’s range and services by visiting kramp.com, explains Chris, and they can request an account by completing the online form.
Pictured above: Chris Cashman, Account Manager at Kramp
THE HUMAN TOUCH BEHIND COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL PROFILES
By Manuela Gravez, Structural Profiles Sales Specialist at Exel Composites
Updates to the composite Eurocode are set to make design work using composites clearer, more accessible, and with maturing recycling and end-of-life processes. Yet materials alone don’t determine the success of a project. Behind every smooth installation, fast prototype, and confident purchase decision is a partner who understands the realities of delivery, availability, and service. At pultruded composites manufacturing expert Exel Composites, that partner is often Manuela Gravez — known internally as the “Queen of the Hub.” Here, Exel outlines her role and explains more about the importance of the human touch behind composite design.
As a Structural Profiles Sales Specialist overseeing Exel’s European distribution centre in Belgium, Manuela is the person customers rely on when they need guidance, stock information, machining support, or simply a quick turnaround. Her blend of practical experience and personal attention has made her a trusted point of contact for customers across industries. Many say they are “buying from Manuela,” not just from Exel.
For Exel, this emphasis on customer care is as crucial as ensuring consistent, high-quality product design. Fibrereinforced polymer composites were not included in the first editions of the
Eurocodes, the European standards for the design of buildings and civil engineering works. With the second generation of the Eurocodes due for release in 2026, and the technical specification for fiber-polymer composite structures expected to progress toward full Eurocode status, designers will gain clearer, harmonized rules for specifying composite structures across Europe.
This shift places even greater emphasis on experienced partners who can help translate evolving standards into practical, buildable solutions — reinforcing the value of close customer support alongside technical compliance.
Why composites win on cost, reliability, and practicality
Although composites can appear more expensive at the time of purchase, they frequently reduce total project cost. In one recent project, an Exel customer achieved around 30 per cent overall savings by switching from steel to composite structural profiles. The reduction came from lower transport costs, smaller installation crews, no need for heavy lifting equipment, and significantly faster on-site assembly.
The profiles also resist corrosion and, unlike metal or timber, are not at risk of being stolen — an increasingly important factor for public infrastructure operators, where theftrelated downtime and replacements can be extremely costly.
These savings are not theoretical. In the United States, composite utility poles made using Exel profiles allowed EasyStreet Systems to cut installation time from days to hours. The combination of light weight, durability and ease of handling reshaped the project schedule and reduced labour costs dramatically.
For harsher environments, the Delos offshore platform demonstrates longterm performance in conditions where corrosion-resistant metals can still struggle. In every case, composites give customers a route to longer life, fewer interventions and greater predictability.
A hub designed around customers
The Belgium hub is central to Exel’s structural profiles business. Stocking more than 50 standard profiles — with new shapes added continually based on customer demand — it provides manufacturers and builders with fast access to the profiles they need. Its role goes far beyond warehousing. Low minimum order quantities allow customers to test concepts, create prototypes, or build demonstrators for their own clients. When a new idea needs to be proven quickly, the hub makes it possible.
Exel’s additional services in CNC machining, drilling, cutting, and other post-processing services take this further, allowing customers to receive profiles ready for immediate use. Orders can range from a handful of pieces shipped by UPS to full container loads delivered directly from Exel’s global production sites. For large-volume projects, Manuela helps coordinate direct factory shipments. For smaller experimental orders, she ensures customers receive exactly what they need without unnecessary delays.
Ther 24–48-hour response and dispatch target has become a signature of the hub. A customer can request a sample or place an order one day and have it shipped the next, which, over time, has cultivated strong relationships. Customers know who to call, know they will get an answer, and know that the logistics will be handled seamlessly from end to end.
Quality built on decades of expertise
Behind the service sits a foundation of deep technical expertise and decades of
experience. Exel has been manufacturing structural profiles since the 1980s and was instrumental in the creation of EN 13706, the key European standard for pultruded profiles. Today, the company continues to exceed the requirements of that standard, delivering profiles with exceptional straightness, visual appearance, and predictable mechanical performance.
Exel’s global R&D team ensures that profiles produced across Exel’s global manufacturing network meet the same strict criteria, regardless of where they are made. This repeatability gives engineers confidence that every beam, channel, or tube shipped from the hub will behave exactly as expected on site.
Looking ahead: evolving with customer needs
Much of Exels’s hub’s current offering has been shaped directly by customer requests. As industries explore new applications for composites, Exel continues to expand its stock range, invest in machining capabilities, and advance its testing expertise. Fire performance, in particular, is a growing
area of focus, with Exel already supporting customers in developing composite solutions for demanding regulatory environments.
New shapes, material combinations, and projectspecific kits are added based on real usage scenarios observed. This feedback loop between customers, engineering and logistics is a key reason the hub remains effective.
As composite structural profiles continue to gain ground, the choice facing engineers and buyers is no longer simply about weight or corrosion resistance. It is about reliability, responsiveness, and trust. Through its Belgium hub — and through the work of people like Manuela Gravez — Exel Composites offers not only high-performance materials, but an experience that supports customers at every step, from concept to installation.
Learn more about Exel’s structural profile offering by visiting the website.
WHY CONSTRUCTION TEAMS ARE LOSING TIME AND MONEY TO INEFFICIENT EXPENSE PROCESSES
By James Rowell, founder of Capture Expense
It’s no secret that the construction sector has always been defined by tight timelines, fast-moving projects and a constant pressure to deliver more with less. Yet behind the cranes and the hi-vis jackets, there is an often-overlooked productivity killer, which is back-office admin. And according to new data from Capture Expense taken from over 22,500 construction expense claims processed in 2025, the industry may be slowing itself down far more than it realises.
For an industry that prides itself on progress and innovation, construction is still surprisingly manual, especially when it comes to financial processes like expenses. While digital transformation has reshaped many site-level operations, back office functions haven’t kept pace. This is clear in the data, with over half of all expense claims in 2025 being submitted using paper receipts, almost three times the number submitted digitally. And while smartphones are commonplace on site, only 32% of claims were submitted via a mobile app, compared with 47% on desktop and 16% through banking integrations. This lingering reliance on outdated processes is creating administrative bottlenecks that undoubtedly affect projects in ways that most teams don’t see but can certainly feel.
When admin delays become operational delays
The data reveals that the average approval time for a construction expense is 8.2 days, with even the median still sitting at nearly 2 days. On paper, these may sound
like manageable numbers. On site, however, any delay in green-lighting essential purchases, whether that be equipment hire or materials, can stall progress, extend timelines and strain project budgets.
And these aren’t just small expenses. The average construction claim sits at £66.19, often for items tied directly to site productivity, think hardware, tools or transport. When approvals lag behind, teams either wait or find workarounds that ultimately slow down compliance and visibility, meaning that they lose hours that they can’t afford to.
In reality, the industry’s admin drag is less about paperwork and more about momentum. Multiply even the smallest of delays across hundreds of weekly site-level transactions and you create a hidden productivity drain that few project leaders are actively measuring.
The human cost of manual workarounds
The way claims are submitted reflects the pressures and rhythms of site life. This isn’t coming from the inefficiency from workers but rather a signal that current expense processes don’t match up with day to day operational demands.
Monthly expense submissions are common across many industries, and construction is no exception as 79% of claimants submit monthly. But in a sector where project costs change daily, batching expenses can create avoidable delays and errors. Receipts are more likely to be misplaced, project codes forgotten and finance teams face end of month bottlenecks just when accurate reporting is most critical.
This approach also contributes to avoidable errors. Claims for subsistence and hotels face rejection rates of 6% and 9% respectively, while mileage (the most frequently submitted category) still sees rejections simply due to missing or inconsistent data.
These small things are guaranteed to add up to significant extra admin work.
The fix: friction-free, real-time processes
The good news is that the solution doesn’t lie in adding more systems or extra admin steps, it comes from removing friction entirely.
• Real time capture means receipts and mileage can be logged the moment a purchase is made, reducing lost paperwork and cutting approval times from days to hours.
• Automated project matching removes the guesswork. When tools automatically link expenses to projects, cost codes or departments, it reduces rejection rates and ensures live budget visibility for site and project managers.
• A mobile-first approach is a perfect fit for how construction teams already work. If workers can submit claims between tasks on site, compliance becomes effortless rather than an annoying end-ofmonth chore.
Together, these changes turn what is currently a manual, time-consuming task into a real-time, reliable stream of data that supports faster decision making and helps projects stay on time and on budget.
The challenge of construction’s productivity won’t be solved overnight, but eliminating this pesky admin drag is one of the simplest wins the industry can make.
EUROPEAN CRUISE TERMINAL
Fibrelite
Design & Supply
Fibrelite was approached by an OEM who provides Onshore Power Supply (OPS) systems, to quote for this large leisure cruise terminal upgrade project. The end user had previously considered Ductile Iron covers to cover the troughs housing the HV power cables and associated fixtures for their newly acquired OPS system, but due to the weight of these covers and the need for specialised lifting equipment, the end user turned to Fibrelite for a solution.
Key Requirements
• Initially, the end user had explored Ductile Iron covers as a potential covering solution.
• The additional overheads associated with this material proposal, including the provision of specialised training for operatives and heavy-duty lifting apparatus – resulted in this being ruled out.
• F900 (90 tonne) load rated trench covers were required to cope with extremely heavy and slow moving sea port traffic.
• Industrial scale – trench covers required to cover 500 metres of precast concrete trough trench units.
• In order to accommodate frequent access to power supply, trench covers had to be light enough for safe manual removal.
• Dozens of varying custom sized covers were required to suit the trench configuration.
The Fibrelite Solution
• From design/specification through to delivery/ installation, the Fibrelite team assisted the customer to ensure this made-to-measure solution would perform exactly as specified.
• Fit for purpose – Fibrelite customengineered and manufactured F900 load-rated GRP composite trench covers suitable for extremely heavy and slow-moving seaport traffic.
• Corrosion-resistant covers to resist constant exposure to saltwater.
• Industrial scale supply capacity –delivery schedule for hundreds of bespoke trench covers agreed upon with the customer and upheld by Fibrelite.
• The Fibrelite trench covers supplied (65Kg) were approximately 82% lighter than the proposed Ductile Iron covers.
• Fibrelite GRP trench covers stepped 117mm to 150mm, to provide increased stiffness and reduced unit weight, which was lightweight enough for safe manual handling, which in turn ensures operatives can safely gain access to trench services as frequently as required.
• Dozens of varying custom sized covers delivered as per client specification.
Terminal Projects
cable trough – Fibrelite
covers provide solution where quick/easy access is required
Durable/lightweight solution required for access to
Read more about our projects here.
F900 load rated Fibrelite trench covers supplied to cope with extreme heavy duty cruise terminal traffic
cable troughs
Fibrelite lightweight covers have the best strength to weight ratio available in the market (image of a different site used for illustration purposes)
OPS (Onshore Power Supply) for UK Cruise terminal
HV
trench
JOBMATE POSITIONS OPERATIONAL SOFTWARE TO DRIVE MEASURABLE PROFIT IMPROVEMENT
Flexible job management platform designed to support trades, field service, logistics and SME businesses.
jobmate, a UK-based provider of endto-end job management software, is highlighting the role operational software can play in improving business profitability, with customers typically able to unlock up to 15% additional profit through better control of time, resources and cash flow, according to jobmate’s own analysis.
Designed for trades, maintenance, field service, logistics and SME environments, jobmate combines planning, inventory, invoicing and subcontractor management into a single, flexible platform that is easy to deploy across different business types and operating models.
Rather than focusing solely on operational visibility, jobmate has been developed to address what the company describes as “hidden” profit
leaks, including unproductive travel time, delayed invoicing, poor stock control and manual administrative processes, factors which jobmate says can erode margins over time.
“Many service-led businesses are working hard but not seeing the financial return they expect,” said Chris Dalton (pictured right), Co-Founder and CEO of jobmate.
“Our focus has always been on practical software that translates directly into financial outcomes. By tightening everyday processes, businesses can recover costs that would otherwise be written off as unavoidable.”
Key capabilities include drag-and-drop job planning to optimise routes and reduce wasted time, integrated inventory management to control stock levels across locations, and instant invoicing that allows completed jobs to move quickly from order to payment. The platform also supports subcontractor
management through a dedicated portal, helping businesses compare quotations and protect margins.
According to jobmate, the combined impact of these features can deliver measurable improvements in operational efficiency and cash flow.
jobmate integrates with established finance and payment systems, including Xero and Stripe, enabling smoother reconciliation and faster payment cycles. Its modular design, says the company, allows businesses to scale usage as they grow, without the need for multiple disconnected systems.
GRAFTED, INVOICED, IGNORED: TWO-THIRDS OF TRADESPEOPLE LEFT CHASING LATE PAYMENTS
Late payments are becoming an increasing problem for UK tradespeople, according to new research1 by Direct Line business insurance, with over half (53%) saying they are experiencing more late payments than a year ago.
The scale of the problem is stark, with tradespeople owed an average of £2,023 in late payments. Over two-thirds (68%) of tradespeople are currently chasing at least one late payment from their clients. Many are juggling multiple outstanding debts: almost one in four (23%) are currently chasing four or more late payments simultaneously, with 7% chasing six or more.
Over four in 10 tradespeople (42%) surveyed have been forced to write off debts of over £500 from invoices that were never paid and a fifth (20%) have abandoned chasing invoices of over £1,000. The average largest amount written off by tradespeople is £1,646.
It’s no surprise that the tradespeople are now taking action to protect themselves. Nearly half (46%) of tradies say that they now ask customers for ‘proof of funds’ before starting larger jobs with a further four in 10 (44%) saying that they are considering doing so.
The most common proactive measure is taking half the payment upfront
(39%), followed by sending invoices well in advance (29%) and charging late payment fees (26%).
Mark Summerville, Product Manager at Direct Line business insurance commented: “Late payments are often cited by tradespeople as their biggest problem. When a client fails to pay on time after work is completed, it can create a highly stressful situation. Payment delays disrupt both personal and business finances, affecting the ability to cover bills and manage cash flow for future projects.
“In some cases, tradespeople feel they have no choice but to write off unpaid invoices, which is not only financially damaging but also deeply demoralising.”
Training & Education
BUILDING BRITAIN’S FUTURE: THREE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SHAPING CONSTRUCTION’S NEXT CHAPTER
Construction is entering a new era. One defined by modern methods of building, long term infrastructure demand, and a growing need for people who can bridge technical capability with real world experience.
Across the country, young people are stepping into the sector with a level of readiness and clarity about their futures that reflects the industry’s evolution.
Among them are Santina Bunting, Jeremie Agbeme and Sophie Brindley; three emerging professionals whose early careers highlight how today’s learners are navigating the world of civil engineering, project delivery and site management.
“I underestimated how much I’d gain”: Santina Bunting, Civil and Infrastructure Engineering (Arup)
At 20, Santina Bunting already has several years of civil engineering experience under her belt, having progressed from a Level 3 civil engineering apprenticeship into a Level 6 programme, with studies taking place at Warwick University. She describes “feeling over the moon” about her journey so far but says the real surprise has been the sheer breadth of what she’s been exposed to - technically, academically and professionally.
Santina was the only student in her grammar school year group to choose a vocational route. While she expected to gain workplace experience, she didn’t anticipate just how quickly she would be contributing to real projects or how much responsibility she’d take on before the age of 20. She’s developed strong technical skills, including proficiency across tools such as MicroStation, AutoCAD and Oasys, and strengthened her analytical and report writing capability through hands on project work.
Her confidence has grown alongside her skillset. Balancing study with live project delivery has shaped her organisation, communication and leadership ability qualities that have also seen her invited to events ranging from the House of Lords and 10 Downing Street to sector award ceremonies.
Looking ahead, Santina hopes to move into a more client facing position within engineering. What stands out most in her story, though, is the sense of momentum: she is part of a generation entering the sector earlier, more informed, and ready to contribute from day one.
“I wanted experience, not a pause”: Jeremie Agbeme, Project Management (Arup)
For Jeremie Agbeme, the decision to pursue a project management apprenticeship came from wanting to keep his development moving forward. When a university course he’d been offered changed unexpectedly, he chose not to wait a year - instead stepping straight into a Level 6 apprenticeship that combined academic study with real work and responsibility.
He completed the programme with a First Class degree and a Distinction, but what he talks about most is growth: learning to communicate clearly under pressure,
Santina Bunting
Jeremie Agbeme
Jeremie’s exposure to major healthcare developments has shaped his long term ambitions. He hopes to bring the project delivery principles he has learned in the UK to future roles supporting infrastructure in developing countriesparticularly within healthcare.
collaborating with diverse teams, and understanding the realities of delivering complex infrastructure projects.
Jeremie’s exposure to major healthcare developments has shaped his longterm ambitions. He hopes to bring the project delivery principles he has learned in the UK to future roles supporting infrastructure in developing countriesparticularly within healthcare.
Alongside his role, Jeremie volunteers as a school governor and supports apprentice networks, reflecting a wider trend among young professionals who see their technical routes not just as training, but as part of their identity and contribution to their communities.
On site at 19: Sophie Brindley, Area Document Controller (Gallagher Group)
When Sophie Brindley started her T Level in Construction: Design, Planning & Surveying straight after her GCSEs, she
What comes through in Sophie’s story is the way early exposure to site environments shapes confidence, professional identity and clarity about future ambitions - something increasingly common among learners entering the sector through technical routes.
Training & Education
knew she wanted hands on experiencebut didn’t expect that within one year she would be Gallagher Group’s first Trainee Assistant Site Manager. She has since progressed even further into the sector and is now Area Document controller for the firm.
Her T Level industry placement exposed her to a wide range of site roles, from document control to shadowing site managers, engineers and quantity surveyors. These experiences helped her build confidence, particularly as the only woman on site at times, something she approached with determination and an openness to learning. Technical courses like T Levels can open doors for more women to join and thrive on site, encouraging greater representation across the industry.
Sophie’s early interest in construction was sparked by her dad, a tradesman, and she has long held the ambition of becoming a property developer. Her role gives her a clear path towards that goal: she’s gaining firsthand insight into project coordination, site management and the day-to-day realities of delivering a build from the ground up.
What comes through in Sophie’s story is the way early exposure to site environments shapes confidence, professional identity and clarity about future ambitions - something increasingly common among learners entering the sector through technical routes.
What These Stories Tell Us About the Future of the Industry
Although Santina, Jeremie and Sophie are at different stages of their careers, and specialise in different areas, their experiences reflect wider shifts across the construction workforce:
• Earlier industry exposure
Today’s learners are interacting with real sites, tools and teams much earlier in their careers, allowing them to build confidence and professional judgement sooner.
• A more diverse entry pipeline
Their stories show varied routes into the sector - engineering, project management, design and surveying - shaped by personal interests, life experiences and practical motivations.
• A stronger sense of purpose
Whether it’s Jeremie’s interest in global healthcare projects, Sophie’s ambition to become a property developer, or Santina’s commitment to engineering excellence, each brings a clear sense of direction.
• Skills aligned with modern construction demands
Digital tools, analytical thinking, communication and stakeholder engagement - all central to their journeys - are increasingly critical across the built environment.
What’s striking is not just what these learners are doing now, but what they represent: a generation entering construction with readiness, adaptability and ambition, at a time when the industry needs exactly that.
They are not just preparing for the future of construction; they’re already helping to shape it.
Search Skills for Life to find more information on T Levels, apprenticeships and other technical pathways available.
Sophie Brindley
Training & Education
THE APPRENTICESHIP ADVANTAGE: BUILDING TOMORROW’S SECURITY WORKFORCE
Across the security industry, frontline security roles can be seen as transient. Perceptions of these roles being physically demanding and maledominated also persist, which means diverse recruitment and retention can be challenging for businesses. However, Pauline Gunn, Head of Learning & Development and Sarah Hayes, Director of HR at Securitas UK, are on a trajectory to change that, and say apprenticeships are central to this transformation – a message that resonates strongly during National Apprenticeship Week.
Redefining what a career in security looks like through structured development, recognised qualifications and targeted support, means the industry can offer real opportunities for growth and longterm success. Making these types of opportunities available to all individuals –whether that is a frontline security officer or an employee in recruitment, marketing or operations – is key.
Apprenticeships: instrumental in creating opportunities for lifelong growth
Traditionally, across many industries, apprenticeships have been associated with school leavers and entry-level jobs, or those in the infancy of their careers. Today, they are powerful tool for upskilling employees at every stage. Securitas has employees from all over the business, at various levels, taking part in apprenticeship programmes.
Apprenticeships now extend far beyond traditional security skills. From Level 2 to
Level 7 (up to the equivalent of a master’s degree), there are apprenticeships to support leadership skills, management, marketing, human resources, coaching, recruitment, as well as transferable skills within a discipline. Tailored pathways support meaningful development in a way that is responsive to the individual’s skills and aspirations – whether that is improving team leadership, effectively sharing knowledge or building expertise in support of functions.
I never thought I would be able to work and earn whilst continuing my studies. Working across marketing and communications disciplines has given me exposure to different types of work which has been instrumental in helping me decide what I want to specialise in.
Confidence, stability and retention
By providing recognised, work-based qualifications, apprenticeships are transforming what was once an interim job into a profession with real progression. This builds capability, boosts confidence and helps reduce turnover by giving employees a future to invest in.
Career development and personal growth within the workforce have already had tangible business outcomes and indicates the business benefits of apprenticeships. Since the apprenticeship scheme started at Securitas in 2023, staff turnover on one account decreased by 46.8%, between 2023 and 2025. This is clear evidence that investing in people leads to stronger engagement, improved performance and higher retention.
Many security professionals begin their careers without formal qualifications, which can affect their confidence and sense of progression. Across the wider security industry, it is common for employees to join without formal qualifications. If they do stay, employees who move into supervisory roles through tenure can sometimes feel uncertain about their skills on paper.
Apprenticeships can change that. They give individuals pride, validation and a pathway for advancement.
Challenging assumptions and breaking down barriers
In the past, misconceptions about apprenticeships have meant that employees who could have benefitted from them have missed out. Modern apprenticeships now provide employees with enhanced on-the-job learning and development opportunities needed in leadership and specialist roles.
For those managing apprentices, the requirement of six hours of off-thejob training each week may initially be off-putting. However, this training can often be fitted around on-the-job responsibilities and use real-world working examples to reinforce learning. New ways of thinking can also strengthen in-role performance and capabilities.
By removing barriers to access and supporting learning at every career stage,
Training & Education
apprenticeships are helping to broaden entry into security careers for people from diverse backgrounds. In doing so, they are shaping a workforce that is more inclusive, better skilled and more resilient for the future.
Real stories, real growth
Shibin Shaji joined the Securitas UK team in 2023 as a Security Officer. He recently completed his Level 3 Team Leader apprenticeship and shared: “The apprenticeship helped me grow from a task-focused security officer into a more confident and structured supervisor. It strengthened my communication, emotional intelligence and decision-making, and gave me practical experience in performance management and mentoring. With the support of my line manager and the training provider, I’ve built real professional confidence and a leadership mindset.”
Owen Mansfield, who works in the Marketing team at Securitas UK, joined the company 18 months ago directly after finishing school. Owen now has a dual role across marketing and communications and is on track to complete his Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketer apprenticeship this quarter. He reflected, “I never thought I would be able to work and earn whilst continuing my studies. Working across marketing and communications disciplines has given me exposure to different types of work which has been instrumental in helping me decide what I want to specialise in.”
These examples reflect numerous success stories across departments and demographics. More than 26% of current apprentices are also women which is significantly higher than the total workforce figure which is 15% female. Both of these are in contrast to the typical industry gender-split of around 10.89% of the workforce being female, demonstrating real progress in breaking down industry stereotypes and upskilling women to more senior roles within the workforce.
The future of security
It is clear the security sector is evolving rapidly and retaining skilled employees through clear, career pathways and high-quality training is essential to business growth.
Apprenticeships are not just helping to shape individual careers; they are the foundation of a robust talent pipeline for the future of the security industry.
“MY
APPRENTICESHIP GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO BUILD A CAREER I’M PROUD OF”
A Newcastle teenager has spoken about how his bricklaying apprenticeship has helped him gain confidence, build new skills and start a career he is proud of.
Brad Batey, 19, pursued his Level 2 Bricklaying apprenticeship with top 10 housebuilder, Keepmoat, after realising his future was in construction. Delivered through a partnership between Keepmoat and the National House Building Council (NHBC), Brad gains hands-on experience on site alongside attending the NHBC Training Hub in Scotswood to practice his skills with NHBC tutors.
Brad’s journey began after attending an NHBC Training Hub open day, where he quickly realised construction was the career path for him. He explains: “Before I started my apprenticeship, I was shy and didn’t feel confident speaking up. I knew I wanted a career in construction, but I didn’t know how to get there. It’s been great to see a full-circle moment. I first heard about this route by attending the NHBC open day and now I’ve been able to come back as an apprentice and help out myself. I’ve supported two NHBC Hub open days, helping to demonstrate bricklaying and showing visitors how to lay bricks.
Brad Batey
“Being trusted to help out and pass on what I’ve learned has been a big confidence boost. It’s something I’m really proud of and hopefully it encourages others to consider an apprenticeship in construction too. From the moment I started, I’ve been learning on site and at the hub and the support from the team has been brilliant. The mix of practical training, working alongside experienced bricklayers and having time at the hub has helped me grow both personally and professionally. Keepmoat has given me the confidence to build a career I’m proud of.”
Through his time on site at Willow Glade, Newcastle upon Tyne, Brad has helped build homes from the ground up, supporting the developer to transform a disused piece of brownfield land in Newcastle alongside other apprentices.
The housebuilder has been working alongside the NHBC since 2022 and apprentices spend an initial five weeks of tailored and immersive training at the NHBC Training Hub covering both theory and practical skills before working on site. This is followed by four further two-week blocks at the NHBC Training Hub every ten weeks throughout the apprenticeship programme which is delivered in 14 to 18 months.
Health & Safety
TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF SITE TEAMS: A SMARTER APPROACH TO SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
Across the construction sector, health and safety compliance has never been more critical—or more complex. Between inductions, permits, risk assessments, insurance documentation and ongoing reporting requirements, the administrative load placed on site management and operational staff continues to grow. For many projects, particularly smaller or fast-moving sites, there may be no dedicated resource available to manage this workload at all.
The result? Site managers and supervisors spending valuable time behind a screen instead of on the ground, subcontractors delayed by paperwork, and compliance risks increasing as documentation struggles to keep pace with project demands.
This is where a Remote Safety Administrator Service offers a modern, practical alternative—providing consistent, professional safety administration without the need for an onsite presence.
A Fully Managed, Remote Solution
Designed specifically for construction environments, the Remote Safety Administrator Service delivers daily safety administration support through a secure, online safety management platform. The service removes the administrative burden from site teams while ensuring safety processes remain compliant, auditable, and up to date.
Rather than relying on already stretched site personnel, safety administration is handled remotely by experienced professionals who manage documentation, inductions, permits, and reporting in real time. This allows site teams to focus on delivering projects efficiently, while maintaining
high safety standards across every stage of the build.
Centralised Online Safety Management
At the core of the service is a centralised digital safety management platform. This system provides secure access to all safety documentation, including inductions, permits, weekly inspection forms, statutory records and contractor information.
By housing all documentation in one location, the platform eliminates paper-based systems and fragmented record keeping. Site management gains instant visibility over who is on site, what documentation has been approved, and where potential compliance gaps may exist—anytime, from anywhere.
Site-Specific Inductions That Save Time
Inductions are a critical first step in ensuring site safety, but they can be
Remote Safety Administrator Service – Let us look after your health and safety administration
time-consuming and inconsistent when managed manually. Remote Safety Administrator Service includes the development of a site-specific induction, delivered in a professional video format tailored to the project’s risks and requirements.
Workers can complete their induction remotely before arriving on site or on arrival using their mobile device. This reduces congestion at site access points, speeds up mobilisation, and ensures everyone receives the same clear, consistent safety messaging.
Daily Review, Approval and Reporting
All completed inductions are reviewed and approved daily by the remote safety team. Each day, a clear induction report is issued to site management, identifying exactly who has been inducted and approved to work on site.
This provides site managers with confidence that only authorised personnel are present, while also creating a robust audit trail that can be easily accessed if required.
Contractor Documentation Managed Professionally
Managing subcontractor documentation is one of the most time-intensive aspects of site safety administration. Under the Remote Safety Administrator Service, all contractor safety documentation is collected, reviewed and approved centrally.
This includes Safety Statements, Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS), insurance certificates, and relevant training records. All documentation is uploaded and securely stored within the platform, ensuring consistency, traceability and easy retrieval.
In an industry where time, compliance and productivity are all under pressure, the Remote Safety Administrator Service offers a smarter way to manage health and safety administration.
Proactive Compliance Monitoring
Compliance doesn’t end once documents are approved. Expiry dates for insurance, training and safety documentation must be actively monitored to avoid lapses that could expose projects to risk.
As part of the service, clients receive monthly compliance reports issued at the start of each month. These reports clearly identify upcoming expiry dates, allowing contractors and site management to address issues proactively rather than reactively.
Digital Toolbox Talks Made Simple
Regular toolbox talks are a key part of maintaining safety awareness on site. The Remote Safety Administrator Service includes the preparation and issue of toolbox talks on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, depending on your project needs.
Toolbox talks are completed digitally by workers on arrival to site via their mobile devices. Once completed, records are downloaded and issued to site management, ensuring full visibility and a clear audit trail with minimal disruption to site operations. These toolbox talks can be provided in video format, workers will view these on their mobile phone when they sign back in to the site.
Permits and Statutory Forms— Digitally Managed
Permits to work, statutory plant records and inspection forms are also managed
Health & Safety
digitally through the platform. Workers and subcontractors can complete permits and statutory forms directly from their mobile phones, reducing paperwork delays and improving accuracy.
This digital approach ensures critical safety controls are documented correctly, while making records instantly accessible for management and inspection purposes.
Clear Benefits for Modern Construction Projects
The benefits of outsourcing safety administration through a remote service are tangible:
• Significant reduction in administrative workload for site staff
• Improved compliance and document control
• Consistent induction and training standards across all personnel
• Clear, defensible audit trails and reporting
• Increased efficiency through streamlined digital processes
A Practical, Cost-Effective Way Forward
In an industry where time, compliance and productivity are all under pressure, the Remote Safety Administrator Service offers a smarter way to manage health and safety administration. By outsourcing these critical tasks to experienced professionals, construction companies gain peace of mind, improved compliance, and the freedom for site teams to focus on what they do best—delivering projects safely and successfully.
For modern construction businesses looking to streamline operations without compromising on safety, remote safety administration is no longer a future concept—it’s a proven solution.
Let us look after your safety needs, contact us at:
Email: info@sitesafetyadmin.com
Website: www.sitesafetyadmin.com
People on the Move
ARDENT APPOINTS STEVEN MANIFOLD TO NEWLY CREATED POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANCY,
BROADENING SERVICE OFFERING
Land, consents and engagement specialists Ardent has appointed Steven Manifold to the newly created senior position of Director of Development Consultancy, as the company’s growth continues.
A chartered surveyor with more than 20 years’ experience in the North West real estate industry, Steven has spent his post-qualification career working in consultancy and client-side roles for both public and private sector organisations. Most recently, he worked as a Major Projects Manager for Bury Metropolitan Borough Council on projects including the new flexi-hall and market project, and an extensive town centre regeneration scheme in the borough.
His primary focus with Ardent will be on projects in Greater Manchester and the North West, but his role will enable the company to broaden the service it offers to clients across the region in the utilities, renewables, transport and regeneration and development sectors.
Commenting on his appointment, Steven Manifold said: “I am delighted to be joining Ardent at such an exciting time. There are some truly game changing projects coming forward and with real momentum across the North West. The establishment of further Mayoral Development Corporations in Greater Manchester will help unlock some exciting regeneration in areas such as Bolton, Ashton, Oldham and the widely publicised Old Trafford plans.”
NEW HEAD OF CONSTRUCTION
AT BELLWAY NORTH EAST AIMS TO BUILD ON IMPROVED LEVELS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Ben Singlewood has been appointed to the role of Head of Construction with the housebuilder’s North East division on a permanent basis, having held the position in an interim capacity since last May.
Based in the North East division’s head office in Gateshead, Ben will be responsible for sites across Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham.
He believes that delivering key infrastructure at an earlier stage in the construction process has played an important part in the division improving its customer satisfaction scores – and he is determined to ensure that the buyer experience remains front and centre in his planning and decision making.
Ben, 51, from Bishop Auckland, said: “We have a ‘Customer First’ policy that is part of the company ethos. This is massive for the success of the business and for customer feedback.
“Ensuring that all roads and other infrastructure are finished to an adoptable standard as a development progresses ensures that customers move into a street that feels complete. Historically this work might have been done towards the end of the project, but we try to do it while we are still on site. That means we control it better and it makes it easier for people who have moved in to get around. We are judged on our scores and surveys, and we find our scores are getting better because we are doing this work as we go.”
Ben Singlewood
Steven Manifold
Roofing & Cladding
ROOF TILE SELECTION: BALANCING PERFORMANCE, AESTHETICS AND BUDGET
By Mark Parsons, Technical Director at Russell Roof Tiles
Rising costs of both materials and manpower, combined with unpredictable weather makes choosing the right roof tile a financial and structural decision.
A recent report from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) revealed that in 2025 UK insurers paid out a record £6.1 billion in property claims, of which around £1.2 billion was for weatherrelated damage – a 14 per cent rise year-on-year. It comes as no surprise with summer 2025 recorded by the Met
Office as the hottest on record and the year seeing major storms, including Éowyn and Floris, a trend that continued into 2026 with Storms Goretti and Storm Chandra.
With more available roof tile options than ever before, knowing what to look for can make all the difference between basic and long-term protection. Mark Parsons, Technical Director at Russell Roof Tiles shares his advice for choosing the right tile:
1. What is the design?
The desired look and planned design of a project will often dictate the most suitable roofing materials. From contemporary designs to timeless traditional styles, each approach calls for careful consideration when specifying roofing. Colour, texture, tile profile and finish should not only align with the intended aesthetic but also complement the surrounding neighbourhood or local vernacular.
Roof coverings not only play a big part in appearance, covering 40-50% of a building’s exterior (dependent on design) but also provide essential weather protection, so material choice must balance aesthetics with performance and durability.
Concrete tiles for example come in a growing range of colours and profiles. Many are designed to blend with “natural” roof tiles in the local area such as clay, slate and stone and are quick to fit and are highly cost-effective.
2. Consider Roof Pitch Early
The pitch of your roof will dictate what roofing materials can be used. This should be established during the design stage of a project rather than later in the build as all roof tiles have a minimum pitch requirement.
Lower pitches increase the risk of winddriven rain, so the correct selection of tile design becomes critical. Interlocking profiles typically provide greater weather resistance on shallow roofs, while plain tiles usually need steeper angles to perform effectively. Checking pitch compatibility early prevents costly redesigns, material changes and site delays.
3. Specify a Complete Roof System
With roofing it is important to focus on the “whole roof” when specifying materials and installation. A “mix and match” approach using various products from different manufacturers for tiles, accessories, and fittings can cause longterm problems. Manufacturers design products to perform and work seamlessly together.
Tiles should work as part of a complete roof system, such as the one provided by Russell Roof Tiles which includes tiles, underlay, dry fix system, ventilation and fixings.
Roof Guarantees and warranties are often negated by the use of third-party components and accessories that carry no performance and testing compatibility certification
4. Consider Sustainability
Updates to Building Standards, combined with the government’s Net Zero 2050 target, are driving contractors and builders to rely more on merchants for sustainable and energy-saving products. For example, concrete tiles use minimal energy during the tile manufacturing process when compared with some counterparts. Concrete roof tiles are cured at a much lower temperature and for a shorter period achieving a reduction in energy consumed in comparison.
5. Think About Installation
Efficiency
Labour is one of the biggest costs on site, so tile choice should support both speed of fixing and laying with simplicity to avoid workmanship issues.
Larger small-format interlocking tiles, such as Bute3® which combines three traditional plain tiles with a standard interlocking roof tile format, cover more area per unit, requiring fewer tiles per square metre, enabling faster installation. Products that provide efficient installation can help streamline workflows, reduce on-site labour and accelerate project timelines.
Roofing & Cladding
6. Managing Material Choice
There are generally four main pitched roof tile choices - concrete, slate, clay and stone. Among these, concrete tiles are particularly versatile and can replicate the appearance of traditional materials while offering modern benefits. They currently account for around 57 - 70 per cent of the UK market.
Tried and tested, concrete roof tiles have a service life in excess of 60 years as they provide a durable and affordable roof covering alternative to other materials and are i available in a wide range of profiles, shapes and colours.
7. Weighing Up the Options
The weight of roof tiles is an important factor, particularly on refurbishment projects. If the existing structure has load limitations, it’s essential to ensure it can safely support the tiles being specified. Failing to check this early can lead to structural concerns, redesign work or costly reinforcements later in the programme.
8. Don’t Overlook Thin Leading Edge
The “leading edge” of a roof tile refers specifically to the front edge – the visible part of the tile used on both small and large format tiles, specifically designed with a slimmer or more refined edge. While tiles with an edge of 24mm and even 28mm have been described as thin,
the Russell Roof Tiles Natural Range offers a 16mm thickness for a more refined roof line.
Thin leading-edge design combined with the hidden interlock allows contractors to achieve a clean, contemporary finish while maintaining the strength and reliability expected from modern roofing materials.
9. Performance
Roof tiles, like all building materials, must meet current building regulation and planning requirements, this includes structural safety, water tightness, fire performance and in some areas conservation or heritage restrictions.
Contractors should always check regulations early in the specification process to ensure chosen tiles and roofing systems comply. Using products with robust technical documentation, warranties, and performance certifications helps safeguard compliance and reduces the risk of costly rework or enforcement issues.
Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent concrete roof tile manufacturer supplying thousands of concrete roof tiles and accessories every week for top housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects.
For guidance on choosing the right roof tile contact or speak to the technical team, head to: www.russellrooftiles.com/salessupport/ask-the-experts
Roofing & Cladding
STORMS HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR WINDLIFT-RESISTING ROOFING PRODUCTS
The three named storms which hit the UK in the first few weeks of the year are serving as a worrying reminder of the need to construct roofs which can withstand extreme wind.
Building standard BS5534:2014 slating and tiling for pitched roofs and vertical cladding code of practice, designed to ensure that new constructions can withstand these extremes, addresses every component of the construction of a standard roof to ensure it can withstand wind uplift.
Insulation specialist Actis has launched a new brochure on its insulating breather membrane Boost R Hybrid Roof, which is designed to cope with everything the British weather has to throw at it – even in areas subject to the most extreme battering.
The BS5534 classification system is designed to help builders, architects and specifiers minimise the ‘ballooning
effect.’ which sees the roof underlay force tiles and slates off the roof in high winds. To comply with BS5534 the underlay must not balloon more than 35mm.
The flexible and easyto-use product offers an extremely effective way of eliminating condensation and preventing moisture entering the building.
Not all underlays have sufficient wind uplift resistance to cope with zones 4 and 5, but Boost R Hybrid Roof is labelled as suitable for use in all five wind zones across the UK and Ireland.
The brochure also provides example build-ups in a timber pitched roof using Boost R Hybrid Roof alone, as well as in combination with accompanying Actis products, honeycomb structured
insulation Hybris and insulating vapour control layer H Control Hybrid.
The flexible and easy-to-use product offers an extremely effective way of eliminating condensation and preventing moisture entering the building.
Used on the cold side of roofs, it is quick and easy to install, has a water vapour permeable roofing underlay and a self-adhesive lap to ensure joints between adjacent sheets can be sealed quickly and easily, creating an airtight layer.
In common with its sister product Boost R Hybrid, it has the highest thermal resistance of any insulating breather membrane of the same thickness on the market and is extremely cost competitive. It doesn’t require any special cutting tools, eye or respiratory protection and there’s hardly any wastage.
Project News
GRAHAM SIGNS £286M CONTRACT TO DELIVER CAMBRIDGE HALLS REDEVELOPMENT
GRAHAM has been appointed as contractor to deliver the redevelopment of Cambridge Halls student accommodation at Manchester Metropolitan University, which is being delivered through a joint venture between the University and Unite Students. The long-term partnership will create 2,302 new student bedrooms as part of a major regeneration of the campus.
The project includes the demolition of the existing 1990s-era accommodation and the construction of two new multi-storey buildings across two phases, providing a mix of cluster apartments and studios alongside internal and external amenity spaces. The development will also include ground-floor commercial space and a new community health centre fronting Cambridge Street, strengthening links between the campus and the surrounding community.
Designed by Cartwright Pickard architects, the buildings will rise to up to 30 storeys and deliver high-quality, purpose-built accommodation.
Designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the buildings will incorporate a highly thermally efficient fabric with a wide suite of low carbon and energy efficient technologies. Air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, low-energy heat recovery ventilation systems and advanced intelligent building management systems will all work together to substantially reduce operational energy use and carbon emissions.
Stephen Van den Hoek, Regional Director at GRAHAM, said:
“Cambridge Halls is a significant and complex regeneration project that will transform this part of the campus. We are proud to have been appointed to work with Manchester Metropolitan University and Unite Students to deliver high-quality, sustainable accommodation that supports student wellbeing and long-term performance. Our team is looking forward to working collaboratively with all partners as the scheme moves forward.”
Demolition is now under way, with construction scheduled to start later this year, with phase one due for completion in 2029 and phase two following in 2030.
AKELA GROUND ENGINEERING SHOWCASES ABEAM INNOVATION IN FAST TRACK FOUNDATION DELIVERY FOR EMTEC’S BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT
Akela Ground Engineering has completed the design and installation of a full precast foundation system to support eight Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) units and two Power Conversion System (PCS) units for Emtec in Sandwich, Kent.
Delivered in less than eight weeks, the project demonstrates the capability of modern methods of construction (MMC) to support the rollout of critical low carbon energy infrastructure.
To address highly variable ground conditions, including soft superficial deposits, granular bearing strata and surcharge loading from stored biomass, Akela designed a tailored foundation solution comprising 200 × 200 mm driven precast concrete piles installed to depths of up to 15 metres. These were integrated with the company’s innovative ABeam precast ground beam system.
On site, more than 800 linear metres of driven precast piling were installed in under five days,
followed by 220 linear metres of ABeam ground beams within a further two days.
ABeam features an innovative mechanical pinned joint that allows prefabricated beams to be installed in hours rather than days. The system eliminates the need for in situ concrete, pile caps, tie bars or follow on trades, enabling a fully controlled, weather independent installation process. Manufactured at Akela’s state of the art precast facility near Glasgow, using renewable ground source heating to reduce carbon impact, ABeam ensures consistent quality while supporting more sustainable construction practices.
Offsite manufacture significantly reduced site congestion and removed weather dependency, a key advantage given the project commenced in November.
Akela also deployed its latest JX piling fleet, reducing working platform requirements and minimising excavation volumes to deliver both cost and programme efficiencies.
Will Payne (above), Managing Director of Akela Ground Engineering, said: “ABeam represents a step change in how foundation systems can be delivered. By removing the need for in situ concrete, follow on trades and weather dependent sequencing, we’re giving clients a faster, cleaner and more predictable way to build. This project is a great example of the system in action - delivering speed, quality and long term performance while supporting the rollout of essential renewable energy infrastructure.”
SHOPPING CENTRE
REPURPOSED AS DESIGN-LED HOMES
Work has begun on the transformation of Newcastleunder-Lyme’s tired 1960s shopping centre. Social impact developer Capital&Centric is getting shovels in the ground turning York Place into a buzzing new town centre community –Astley Place.
A newly released image gives a sneak peek at the Astley Place vision – named after Philip Astley, the founder of the modern circus who was born there way back in 1742. Rather than taking a wrecking ball to the unloved concrete structure, Capital&Centric will save the existing frame, repurposing it into 42 apartments clustered around a pocket park with loads of greenery, in typical Capital&Centric style.
Theres more than just homes, as Astley Place is set to become a vibrant new destination for the town. The vision includes bringing the site back to life with over 11,000 sq ft of spaces for indie shops, bars and cafes, a new music venue, and lush green gardens for the community to hang out in.
The project is part of a wider £90mn regeneration of Newcastle-under-Lyme, supported by the Borough Council and recently backed by a £19m funding boost from Homes England. It sits alongside Capital&Centric’s other upcoming
town centre sites, “Karparc” (turning the former Midway CarPark into homes in a UK-first) and “Rye Park” (a buzzing new neighbourhood in the Ryecroft area of Newcastle-under-Lyme).
John Moffat, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric, said: “This project is rethinking what a town centre can be, and it joins Karparc and Rye Park as part of an epic transformation of Newcastleunder-Lyme. Instead of demolishing the 60s shopping centre, we’re giving it a major reboot and turning it into a distinct, design-led collection of homes. We want to preserve the brutalist charm while adding a fresh, contemporary vibe. We’re buzzing to get going and create a new destination that locals can be proud of, with indie hangouts and a new music venue right in the mix.”
Astley Place will feature:
• 42 design-led homes: A mix of 1 and 2-bed apartments for rent, right in the thick of the action.
• Indie spaces: 11,150 sq ft of space for independent shops, bars, and cafes to set up shop.
• Music Venue: A brand-new cultural spot to boost the town’s evening economy.
• Green hangouts: Lush outdoor spaces and walkways connecting the neighbourhood to the wider town.
UK Construction Week
BIGGER AND BOLDER: UKCW
LONDON RETURNS AS PART OF NEW INDUSTRY SUPER EVENT
UK Construction Week (UKCW) returns to Excel London from 12-14 May with this year’s event set to be the biggest yet. After celebrating its 10th anniversary last year, UKCW has joined forces with Futurebuild to create the UK’s Built Environment super event, where every stage of a project gets decided.
The largest and most comprehensive construction event in the UK calendar, UKCW will run alongside both Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show to bring together 25,000 industry professionals, 600+ exhibitors and 700+ speakers across six dedicated stages - all under one roof.
Opened by architect and Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, UKCW London attracts exhibitors from across the globe with big names such as Hilti Group, Cedral UK by Etex, Polypipe, FM Approvals, Hird and WOLFF Onsite set to showcase their latest products.
UKCW will once again feature a packed programme of CPD-accredited panels and seminars tackling the sector’s most pressing issues, featuring an unbeatable
line-up of high profile industry figures and thought leaders.
Face-to-face networking continues to be at the core of the multi awardwinning show. Make the most of your visit by using the dedicated show app to plan ahead. Quickly and easily book meetings in advance, as well as seminars, industry roundtables, live workshops, and exclusive ‘meet the buyer’ sessions in the Build Connect Networking Lounge.
Sam Patel, Divisional Director, Construction, said: “Bringing together construction leaders, innovators and decision makers, UKCW unites the entire construction supply chain under one roof at a time when collaboration, innovation and knowledge-sharing are more important than ever.
“With UKCW now sitting alongside Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show, it offers an even broader platform to gain invaluable industry insights and
practical solutions, as well as building meaningful connections across every sector of construction. This year’s show promises to be our biggest and best yet!”
The three-day event features:
6 built-for-purpose worlds:
• Materials & Structure - See the latest breakthroughs in materials, engineering and structural performance
• Equipment, Tools & Hire - Explore the newest tools and equipment driving productivity
• Construction Services - Connect with experts in project delivery, compliance, training, and professional support
• ConTech & AI - See how technology, automation, and AI are redefining the way we plan and build
• Offsite - Experience modular and prefab innovation powering faster, smarter construction
• Stone & Surfaces Show - Discover the newest stone, materials and tech reshaping modern design
6 theatres offering a varied programme of talks and workshops from industry experts and thought leaders:
• Marketing and Procurement Stage
• Offsite and Industrialisation Stage
• Contech and AI Stage
• Live Demo Stage
• Housing Action Stage
• Culture Change & Skills Stage
Sponsored by Sage, Wyre, HotelPlanner, Zurich Resilience Solutions and Build Warranty, UKCW London will feature over 300 leading brands; over 25 trade bodies and associations, including the Federation of Master Builders, CIBSE, and the National Association Of Air DuctCleaners UK.
To register for free, visit: https://forms.reg.buzz/ukcwlondon-2026/cab-campaign.
Following the London show in May 2026, UKCW Birmingham will return to the NEC from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
NATIONAL RETROFIT
CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES FULL 2026 PROGRAMME WITH ENERGY CONSUMERS MINISTER KEYNOTE
The UK’s Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey MP, is delivering a keynote address at the National Retrofit Conference 2026, as the event unveils its full programme for 12 to 14 May at ExCeL London as part of Futurebuild 2026.
The minister is set to speak on the morning of 13 May, placing national retrofit delivery and the Government’s Warm Homes agenda at the centre of the conference programme. His appearance will bring together senior policymakers, city leaders and industry partners responsible for delivering large scale energy efficiency upgrades across the UK.
Senior figures from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Greater London Authority and major city regions will also headline the programme.
Selvin Brown, Director for Net Zero Buildings at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will
open the conference with ‘Warm Homes, Fair Futures: Delivering on the UK’s Net Zero and Fuel Poverty Goals’. Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, will join city and combined authority leaders shaping large scale retrofit delivery across the capital and beyond.
As the Government begins rolling out the Warm Homes Plan, the three-day conference will be one of the first major national gatherings in 2026 to bring together central government, combined authorities, local authorities, housing providers, procurement teams and delivery partners responsible for turning commitments into contracts and upgrades on the ground.
RENOLIT ALKORPLAN
SLIP RESISTANT WALKWAY WINS THE ARCHIPRODUCTS
DESIGN AWARD 2025 FOR INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION
RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing products is proud to announce that its Slip Resistant Walkway membrane has been rewarded the Archiproducts Design Award 2025, an annual award celebrating excellence and visionary projects in the global design community.
Selected by a multidisciplinary jury of the most influential figures in architecture and design, the awards honour the most visionary projects in each category from brands and designers who redefine contemporary living by combining innovation, creativity, and sustainability.
Winning in the Construction category, RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Slip Resistant Walkway stood out for its technical quality and function. The elite panel of jurors recognised the solution based on its functionality and operability, highlighting its role as a high-quality design response for the industry.
This recognition underscores a sophisticated balance between high-end technology and beauty, ensuring the product meets the practical demands of architectural projects without compromising on aesthetic value.
The jury evaluated the winning entries based on their unique concept and industrial research. RENOLIT ALKORPLAN Slip Resistant Walkway represents this excellence through its specific design as a flexible synthetic PVC membrane with polyester reinforcement. It serves as a secure solution for maintenance access on both flat and pitched roofs, and is suitable for installation with photovoltaic panels, emergency access, and lifelines.
Dependable Door Control Solutions
We recognise the critical role that doors and their hardware play in the safety and security of any building.
Our core product range includes:
• Door Closers
• Access Control
• Electric Locking
• Door Hardware
• Locks & Security
• Fire Door Ironmongery
• Panic Hardware
Whatever your project requires, you can depend on Door Controls Direct.
SURVIVING THE CONSTRUCTION INSOLVENCY WAVE: LESSONS AND PRACTICAL SAFEGUARDS
By Anjali Shrivastava, Solicitor, Michael Gerard Solicitors
Everyone working in the construction sector is familiar with the daily news of some or the other contractor going bust. Since the advent of the pandemic, everyone hopes the next year would be better, but the insolvencies are not stopping. The construction sector is facing a multiyear insolvency crisis, with over 3,900 firms collapsing in 2025 alone, representing the highest sector failure rate for the fourth consecutive
Author Biography: Anjali Shrivastava, Solicitor
Anjali Shrivastava joined Michael Gerard Solicitors as a Solicitor in 2025, bringing with her over seven years of diverse legal experience across private practice, government advocacy and international legal environments.
Dual qualified as a Solicitor in England & Wales and an Advocate in India, Anjali has advised on a broad range of matters including dispute resolution, debt recovery, contract law, intellectual property and employment law. Her cross jurisdictional background provides clients with commercially focused, strategic advice grounded in practical experience.
Prior to joining the firm, Anjali founded and led her own legal practice in India, representing clients in complex litigation and advisory matters. Since relocating to the UK, she has focused on dispute resolution and debt recovery, supporting clients through high value and time sensitive claims.
Anjali also has a strong academic and advocacy record, with published legal work and notable moot court achievements, reflecting her commitment to excellence and continuous professional development.
year. Its difficult times for the company and their staff, subcontractors and suppliers who may be out of work or lose money as a result.
Key driving factors include:
• Fixed‑price contract losses – Due to fixed‑price clauses and the absence of fluctuation provisions, many firms have been forced to complete projects based on prices quoted in 2019/2020.
• High inflation and rising costs –Volatile material costs (steel, timber, etc.), along with rising labour and plant costs, have squeezed margins and pushed many contracts into loss.
• Supply chain instability – We live in turbulent times where the next crisis can emerge overnight. Supply of materials can be disrupted at any moment. With insolvencies now common, the collapse of a single major contractor often triggers a domino effect across subcontractors who are left unpaid.
• Economic pressures – High interest rates, restricted access to credit, and slowing demand for new projects are placing further strain on already‑thin margins.
• Poor cash management and weak financial controls.
• Minimal investment in technology – Reliance on manual processes for quoting, pricing, ordering and finance increases costs and errors.
• New regulations – The Building Safety Act 2022 extended liability for historical defects from 12 years to 30 years. Some contractors, such as Ardmore Construction, reportedly entered insolvency due in part to the scale of potential historical liability. Increased compliance requirements have added further burdens to firms already under pressure.
• Compromised record‑keeping –Poor documentation leaves firms vulnerable to onerous defect claims, adjudications, and disputes.
Other contributing factors – Weak market confidence, delays in project starts, programme slippage, labour shortages, legacy liabilities and rising employment costs.
What can a firm do to avoid going bust?
• Prioritise a well drafted contract
The contract sets the allocation of risk. Always ensure you have one—and scrutinise it. On fixed price contracts, consider fluctuation clauses linked to work categories or resource specific inflation indices. Include mechanisms allowing price adjustments when a particular item inflates beyond a set threshold (e.g., 100%).
Where possible, negotiate for advance payments and shorter valuation/ payment cycles to protect cashflow.
• Mirror your risk profile down the supply chain
If you must accept a fixed price contract, try to secure similar arrangements with suppliers. Do not be pressured into “buying work” or accepting unrealistically thin margins.
• Invest in technology
While it may feel like a stretch, automating quoting, pricing, ordering and finance reduces staff costs, increases accuracy and improves long term margins.
• Have a contingency plan
If a project stalls or a client defaults, bridging finance, cashflow loans, or construction loans can stabilise operations. For property related works, home construction loans may also be suitable.
• Stay on top of payments and retentions
Do not allow outstanding sums to drift from “next week” to “next month.”
Vigilance prevents minor delays from snowballing into cashflow crises.
• Watch for early warning signs of insolvency
One insolvency in the supply chain can destabilise cashflow, disrupt programmes and trigger costly disputes. Engage early with affected parties to find practical solutions; mediation or negotiated agreements may preserve a project. If a party refuses to engage, move to adjudication promptly—an adjudicator’s award may secure payment ahead of a potential insolvency, reducing the risk of becoming an unsecured creditor.
• Appoint a Finance Director/CFO
A bookkeeper records the past. An accountant reports the past. A Finance Director/CFO protects the future. They provide:
✔ Financial strategy aligning budgets with long term goals
✔ Risk management and mitigation
✔ Funding and lender relationships
✔ Detailed cashflow forecasting and scenario planning
✔ Ensuring cashflow supports operations and growth
• Always, always keep extensive records.
That small dispute you had on site— the one everyone shrugged off as minor—record it. If the issue later crystallises into an adjudication, it is the records that will protect you and not the actual position on site. Engage with the contract administrator and don’t go off on a frolic of your own. If there is a verbal instruction to change the design, record that over an email or that any later allegation of non compliance cannot be placed on you.
Learn to differentiate between contract documents and pre contract documents—what you tendered may not have been incorporated into the JCT.
• Do not cut corners with quality.
You do not want a latent defect discovered years later that results in you having to pay for the entire job. If a patent defect arises, cure it as soon as possible or offer to remedy it at a significantly reduced rate. If you have offered to cure the defect but the employer refuses due to programme pressures, the risk shifts to the employer. The employer cannot later hire another contractor and charge you for the works. They have a duty to mitigate, and your discounted rectification offer will set the benchmark.
One insolvency in
the supply
chain can destabilise cashflow, disrupt programmes and trigger costly disputes.
• If a contract becomes too complex, do not hesitate to seek legal advice to understand any onerous clauses.
• Be vigilant with payment applications and pay less notices
A single error can result in a “smash‑and‑grab” adjudication and exhaust cashflow. Even if you have a strong case on true valuation, you may face prolonged delays and increased costs before being paid. In a cash‑dependent industry, even a few months’ delay can be the difference between thriving and going bust.
All of this may feel burdensome, but it could save you thousands of pounds in the long run.
Conclusion
The industry is, undeniably, in a difficult place—driven in large part by increasingly onerous, high‑risk (and many would say fundamentally unfair) contracts, reinforced by a legal framework that continues to uphold them. The question is whether contractors will finally learn to say “no” to such terms and collectively push for the change the sector so urgently needs.
History suggests that whenever a contractor collapses, any gap in the market is quickly filled by another firm willing to take on the same risky terms. Until the industry steps back and refuses to accept unmanageable obligations, the cycle of insolvencies will continue. Real change will only come when contractors recognise their value, protect their position, and refuse to sign contracts that jeopardise their very survival.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. The views expressed are those of the author. No liability is accepted for any loss arising from reliance on its contents. Readers should obtain their own independent professional advice before taking or refraining from taking any action.
IT PURCHASING: KNOW WHAT’S ‘UNDER THE BONNET’ TO HELP DRIVE AGILITY AND GROWTH
By Emma Peyman, software specialist, Conscia UK
UK construction is consolidating its use of technologies such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) and cloud computing to improve core design and construction capabilities and drive project efficiencies. And as almost half of construction firms try out newer tools such as AI, they are identifying further opportunities to streamline processes and upscale operations to meet changing customer demand while reducing costs.
With IT taking up a bigger proportion of company expenditure and the construction market gradually returning to growth, how can construction firms’ IT directors enable their boards to realise the promise of smart software tools in enhancing business development, gaining competitive edge and upscaling workforces while controlling their technology spending?
Software licensing helps software vendors recoup their product development costs but for the end user organisation, understanding and complying with this licensing can appear tricky – and costly. Global research by technology industry body the ITAM Forum found that more than one quarter (27%) of firms spend more than £250K each year resolving issues around just one global software vendor’s licensing deals.
Companies’ technology acquisition (in almost any market) has often been characterised by infinite product choice alongside confusingly wide purchasing software licensing agreements as tech vendors monetise years of innovation. Non-compliant or inconsistent software licencing can often lead to extra licence charges, penalties, or even IT service interruption.
Faced by these challenges, construction company IT teams are giving increasing attention to understanding and making the most of what’s ‘under the bonnet’, both in terms of licensing the software products they use, and leveraging their investment more effectively.
A less prominent aspect of construction firms’ IT spending is the opportunity for more agile business operations by using more flexible, enterpriselevel software buying and licensing agreements.
A less prominent aspect of construction firms’ IT spending is the opportunity for more agile business operations by using more flexible, enterprise-level software buying and licensing agreements. These new types of contracts enable UK IT buyers – and C-level executives – to better scope their organisation’s software needs and adapt their corporate strategy as trading conditions change.
This ‘value for money’ drive is also being enabled by consultancy input from technology providers’ expert software licensing teams which help in-house IT Directors identify the best long-term value options from software purchasing while giving them vital extra headroom for expansion if company growth returns. Enterprise software agreements deliver four key benefits, including:
Long-term value
First, when a construction company’s technology acquisition often appears complex, new enterprise software agreements combine buying power and more attractive, long-term pricing. For example, certain buying agreements can ensure fixed-list technology pricing over the agreement’s lifetime, giving customers greater predictability and simplicity. This contrasts markedly with à la carte software buying that fails to leverage company buying power and may lead to yearly software cost increases.
Enterprise-level agreements can also be paired with pricing incentives, such as fixed discounting on the software licence suites committed and multisuite stacking discounts from the same vendor. This enhanced buying flexibility gives companies greater incentives to expand their operations and a more cost-effective route to upscale their workforces.
These agreements can also leverage technology vendors’ ‘true-up’ enterprise software licensing agreements. These deals allow construction firms to adjust their software user numbers after a set contract period and align their software expenditure with ‘real-world’ usage. Licensing specialists can apply their ‘true up’ agreement expertise to help company IT buyers drive long-term value and vary the user licences available.
One leading vendor’s annual ‘true forward’ deals will review any overconsumption for the previous 12 months and forward charge for the increase for the remaining term of the agreement,
Enterpriselevel agreements can also be paired with pricing incentives, such as fixed discounting on the software licence suites committed and multi-suite stacking discounts from the same vendor.
with no retrospective billing. In this way, one UK organisation saved nearly £100K in its software purchasing using an enterprise agreement when refreshing security hardware that was reaching the end of its lifecycle. This approach can also include a ‘growth allowance’ of up to 15% on user-based licences, giving companies headroom for increases in staff count without incurring penalties.
Simpler access to technology
Second, today’s technological innovation is so unrelenting that sourcing appropriate technology and software products can become complex. Enterprise agreements simplify this procurement process, giving buyers easier access to agreed portfolios of cutting-edge products and capabilities (e.g., for organisations’ IT networks, application infrastructure and company cybersecurity) and a clear route to business consolidation and transformation.
And instead of traditional ‘perpetual’ software licenses fixed to a single device, enterprise software agreements can incorporate ‘value shift’ principles, so company buyers have scope to repurpose their existing investment to adopt technology innovations as they emerge.
Examples include construction firms being able to switch to cloud-based control models from on-premisescontrolled networks over the same license agreement’s lifetime (or vice versa) and upgrade the licensing tier to access better product functionality. This capability enhances the agreement’s
long-term value, enabling an organisation to pivot operations more easily as strategic priorities such as demand for services change.
Saving time
Third, organisations that adopt enterprise-level agreements can simplify procurement processes, reduce transaction costs and cut IT teams’ contract administration time by up to 85%. Less time is spent on budgeting, contract negotiation, procurement and managing inventory, when with traditional à la carte buying, IT teams must manage large numbers of software renewals across multiple vendors.
Consolidation & ROI
Fourth, customer-focused technology providers are also using annual software licence auditing to help construction CIOs understand their assets and identify current or future licensing capacity issues. Audits can identify benefits such as:
• Consolidating multiple contracts into a single agreement, simplifying future auditing and inventory tracking
• Assessing their software inventory and eradicating duplication of features across multiple contracts
• Assessing their workforce’s adoption of new technologies (via monitoring user licence uptake)
• Recategorise existing enterprise agreements as a new agreement, helping IT teams identify their software needs over 3-5 years and better align new purchasing with corporate strategy.
Smarter software licensing
Understanding what’s ‘under the bonnet’ in terms of software purchases may not have caught construction industry executives’ attention until recently. However, IT Directors that collaborate closely with their IT provider to understand enterprise-level software licensing needs can reorient their technology acquisition towards annualised efficiencies and sustainable future growth while gaining greater value from their IT budget.
Written by Emma Peyman, a software specialist at Conscia UK.
Visit: conscia.com/uk
Technology & Software
CONSTRUCTION DOESN’T HATE TECH –IT HATES BEING LET DOWN
By Neeral Shah, founder & CEO of YardLink
Construction isn’t ‘anti-tech.’ It’s antifriction. And it’s deeply anti being let down at the worst possible moment – when a site is live, margins are tight, and one missed delivery can ripple across an entire programme.
That’s why, despite years of ‘digital transformation’ rhetoric, plant and equipment procurement remains stubbornly analogue. Our data shows around 65% of firms still rely on spreadsheets, email chains, phone calls and pen-and-paper processes to get key equipment and materials on site. It’s not because the industry can’t modernise, but because many previous ‘digital initiatives’ didn’t work in real site conditions.
Why digital initiatives have failed
If you’ve ever tried to run a live project through a forced online booking system, you’ll recognise the failure modes. Delayed deliveries, missed collections. Orders placed, but nobody takes accountability for the outcome. Suppliers don’t follow through. A portal might confirm a booking, but it can’t stop a machine arriving late – or arriving broken – or not arriving at all. And the costs of those failures aren’t theoretical.
Through our analysis, we found that, across the industry, unplanned downtime linked to equipment
breakdowns or faulty kit can cost construction businesses up to 8% of revenue. Put simply: a medium-sized firm turning over £12m could be losing close to £1m a year to downtime alone.
Failed deliveries stack on top: we found that the average site can lose around £15k in productivity from failed or disrupted deliveries alone, with each failure costing roughly £750-£800 once you account for the labour and programme impact. In a world where contractors are winning work at tighter margins than ever, those ‘small’ failures become critical.
What earns trust in technology?
First: flexibility. Construction doesn’t operate in one channel. People buy and manage sites through whatever works in the moment – phone, WhatsApp, email, or an online dashboard. A tech tool that forces everyone into a single digital-only workflow might look efficient on paper, but it breaks on site. The goal shouldn’t be to train construction to behave like e-commerce but to build systems that fit construction’s reality.
Second: operational oversight and clear accountability. The real problem with many procurement and hire platforms is the lack of ownership when things go wrong. If the supplier fails, the customer needs a human who can fix it, fast, and a system that records what
happened and prevents repeats. That’s why a ‘digital plus human-in-the-loop model’ is essential in any tech solution.
Trust is also built through the boring, unglamorous infrastructure behind the scenes: supplier vetting, service level agreements, delivery risk management live hire reconciliation, and compliance checks. Done properly, these are the guardrails that make tech dependable.
Moving beyond ‘cheapest price’
The conversation has shifted from ‘cheapest price’ to ‘managed reliability.’ With fewer projects and more competition, price pressure is intense. But the cheapest rate isn’t cheap if it creates downtime, rework, or weeks of admin chasing invoices.
One of the biggest operational drains in the sector is the sheer admin burden: our analysis found that procurement teams can lose up to one full working day per week on sourcing, and finance teams spend huge time on reconciliation and queries. When you have project-level visibility –live rental and inventory reporting, proof-of-delivery checks, and clean documentation – those hidden costs fall dramatically.
The industry is ready for technology that behaves like a reliable colleague. The winning model won’t be the one that shouts ‘AI’ the loudest. It’ll be the one that reduces downtime, gets deliveries right, keeps compliance clean, and lets site teams work in the way they already do – but with far better information and far fewer headaches.
Construction doesn’t hate tech. It hates being let down. And until technology takes accountability as seriously as the people running sites do, spreadsheets, emails and phone calls will keep winning.
THIEVES STRIKE AT THE HEART OF TRADESPEOPLE WITH ONE IN THREE HAVING VEHICLES BROKEN
INTO AND TOOLS
STOLEN
Brazen thieves are continuing to target vehicles to steal tools from tradespeople, with one in three workers having equipment stolen from their vans in the last 12 months.
While criminals ransack vehicles at an alarming rate, worryingly, new research shows that more than three-quarters of tradespeople say they leave their equipment and tools in vans overnight –making them a continued target.
The survey, from commercial insurer NFU Mutual, revealed that just shy of two-thirds of tradespeople had suffered from theft of any kind in the last 12 months, with theft from a site (36%) most common, and equipment stolen from vehicles next on the list (32%). Rounding off the top four were theft of a vehicle (12%) and theft from business premises (11%).
Workers in the sector regularly live in fear of being targeted by criminals and having tools stolen, resulting in not just an emotional impact but also a financial one, when they are unable to carry out jobs. The average cost of tool theft in the last 12 months, of those surveyed, came out at £4,300 – with 3% saying it cost them more than £20,000.
Of the tradespeople that said they had been a victim of tool theft in the last 12 months, 39% of those suffered more than once. One in every 10 of the repeat victims were targeted three times or more in the space of just one year.
Zoe Knight, Head of Commercial at NFU Mutual, said: “Tool theft is an epidemic that continues to blight the industry and cause major issues and distress to hard-working tradespeople up and down the country.
“With one in every three tradespeople having tools stolen from their vans in the last 12 months, it shows how brazen thieves are. This is not just a storage place for workers – but is also their mode of transport to get to and from jobs which then, in a lot of cases, will have to be cancelled or pushed back due to physical damage done by criminals and repairs needed.
“Tradespeople rely on their tools and vehicles for their job, so it is vital they have the protection and security in place. Tougher laws on tool theft would help deter thieves and tackle this growing issue.”
The Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill due to have its second reading in the House of Commons later this year, seeks to raise the ‘harm category’ when sentencing tools of trade theft from Category 3 to Category 2, to better reflect the loss of earnings this crime results in.
Lee Wilcox, Co-Founder & CEO of On The Tools, said: “On The Tools has been monitoring tool theft for years and it is deeply concerning that the situation has not improved. In our 2022 white paper, we found that 68% of tradespeople who had experienced tool theft worried about it every single day. Through our anti-suicide initiative, Project 7000: The Lost City, we also know that the UK has lost around 7,000 construction workers to suicide in the last decade: the equivalent of 14 tradespeople every week.
“When tool theft is piling daily anxiety on top of an already critical mental health crisis in construction, it is clear that meaningful action is urgently overdue. On The Tools fully supports the Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill, and any move that recognises tool theft as the serious, careerand life-threatening crime it is, and treats it accordingly.”
While vehicles appear a common target for thieves, workers’ sites were actually ransacked more often in the last 12 months, NFU Mutual’s data shows. And with 74% of tradespeople saying they leave tools and portable equipment
Zoe Knight, Head of Commercial at NFU Mutual
on site overnight, it’s a clear target for criminals to attack.
That was certainly the case for TC&Co, who had more than £90,000 worth of equipment taken in an overnight raid.
CASE STUDY
For Tim Smith, the ongoing issue of tool theft is becoming a “far too regular” occurrence.
Tim, who has been Director at TC & Co since 2017, has sadly seen it all before and has suffered incidents costing tens of thousands of pounds each time. In March this year, the Somerset-based civil engineering and groundworks company experienced a break-in on site where a container was cut open, and all tools stolen.
More than £90,000 worth of equipment was taken in the overnight raid –including John Deere Gator, machine breakers, laser levels, chains and plant trailers – leaving the team to have to reach out to a number of hire companies the following day in order to keep things running on site.
“It certainly felt targeted,” said Tim.
“The thieves knew exactly where to go and what to take, which unfortunately is becoming more common with organised groups focusing on high-value tools and equipment.
“These tools aren’t just assets – they’re essential for keeping our projects running. We also take pride in buying new kit, so the items stolen were two to three years old at best.
“It certainly wasn’t a good feeling – it was a mix of frustration and concern about how it might disrupt our work. Fortunately, we had strong support behind us – management,
On The Tools has been monitoring tool theft for years and it is deeply concerning that the situation has not improved.
clients, insurance – which made a difficult situation much easier to handle.”
While security measures were in place at TC & Co’s site, Tim admits that the raid saw them upgrade everything “significantly”, ranging from CCTV to better lighting and improved locks.
Everything that was taken during the incident has since been replaced and pushed the business to strengthen their security and review the risk management side of their operation.
“It was too little too late for us,” Tim said. “And unfortunately, it is getting far too regular.”
With tool theft continuing to plague tradespeople across the UK, the need for protection – both physical and technological – only continues to grow, and Tim had a message for others in an ongoing fight against crime.
“Don’t assume it won’t happen to you,” he said. “Invest is good security, keep your inventory up-to-date, and make sure your insurance cover is genuinely suited to the way you operate. Do not skimp on insurance – you will sleep better knowing they are there to support.”
WEAK SOILS PROMPT FOUNDATION WORKS AT HISTORIC ROWING CLUB
Ground engineering contractor Geobear has delivered ground improvement works to London Rowing Club headquarters on the Putney Embankment.
The geotechnical specialist stabilised balcony foundations constructed on weak, made-ground soils, deploying over 400kg of geopolymer resin below the new support columns to compact the ground and improve its loadbearing capacity.
Founded in 1856, the London Rowing Club is one of the oldest and most prestigious sports clubs in the UK. Its clubhouse, built in 1870, was the first purpose-built venue on the Putney Embankment and has been the home of the club ever since. Over the years, the club has produced numerous World and Olympic champions, such as gold medallist Phelan Hill.
Putney Embankment is constructed on ‘made-ground’, soil artificially placed or modified for construction purposes. In the late 19th century, embankment works were carried out to reclaim land for development. The reclamation involved depositing materials like soil and construction waste to raise the land above high tide levels.
Over time, these made-ground areas have become susceptible to settlement and instability, particularly when the
fill is poorly compacted. As the LRC balcony has deteriorated over time, the club decided to renovate it. The increased weight of the new balcony will require ground compaction and stabilisation to support it.
“Ensuring the safety and longevity of our clubhouse is paramount,” said Peter Halford, director at LRC. “Geobear’s solution allows us to address structural concerns without disrupting our daily activities or the club’s rich heritage.”
“Our process involves drilling small holes and injecting the expanding resin, which compacts and stabilises the made-ground soils without the need for excavation,” explained Halil Kaygisiz, area manager for commercial and infrastructure at Geobear UK. “It’s non-invasive and can be completed in a single day, allowing the club’s rowing sessions and events to continue uninterrupted.”
Events & Awards News
BCMPA INVITES OUTSOURCING COMMUNITY TO UNITE ON KEY INDUSTRY ISSUES AT ITS 2026 CONFERENCE
The third-party outsourcing community will have the chance to learn about and discuss the latest trends, opportunities and challenges in the industry at this year’s BCMPA Conference, at the Oxford Belfry on 1st April.
At a time when the supply chain is facing a variety of pressures, from economic uncertainty to new legislation and global instability, the conference provides a collaborative environment for delegates to share experiences offering a full programme featuring current hot topics such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), cyber security, automation and robotics, and the role of training to enable workforces. There will be informal networking throughout the event, including a dinner on the evening before the conference.
“With companies having to deal with so many external issues alongside the day-today running of their business, the BCMPA conference is a way for the industry to come together, be part of the discussion and benefit from some valuable knowledge exchange,” said Emma Verkaik, CEO of the BCMPA.
UKCW LONDON’S PACKED SEMINAR PROGRAMME TO TACKLE SECTOR’S MOST PRESSING ISSUES
As a key element of the UK’s Built Environment super event, UK Construction Week London (Excel, May 12-14) will explore a wide spectrum of the most pressing and important topics which affect the industry today, with a packed programme of CPD-accredited panels and seminars covering everything from innovation in construction methods to product testing and assurance; housing insight to workforce capacity; workplace culture to data-driven project management.
Bringing together construction leaders, innovators and decision makers from across the industry, UKCW London will run alongside both Futurebuild and The Stone & Surfaces Show, attracting over 25,000 industry professionals.
Visitors can step into the future of construction at The Contech and AI Hub, which brings together the brightest minds and the most forward-thinking technologies transforming the built environment. Topics discussed will include automation, robotics, digital twins, AI-driven decision-making and dataintelligent systems.
The Culture Change & Skills Hub will put people firmly at the heart of the debate. It will explore critical issues including social value, diversity and inclusion, workplace culture, and construction safety. Through thought-provoking talks and panel discussions, expert speakers will address the urgent need for new skills, stronger leadership, and better support for wellbeing - all helping future-proof the sector.
The Housing Action Hub will focus on the challenges and opportunities shaping residential development today. From social housing and urban regeneration to small-site delivery and heritage renovation, the programme spans the full housing landscape. Housing associations, developers, architects, policymakers, and SMEs will come together to share practical solutions for
increasing supply, improving quality, and maintaining affordability.
Sally Hayns, CEO of The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), will chair a panel discussion and give a keynote presentation on the Housing Action Hub on Tuesday 12th May.
The Offsite & Industrialisation Hub examines how modern, industrialised construction methods are reshaping the way we design and deliver projects. Covering offsite manufacturing, kit-of-parts systems, and emerging micro-manufacturing models, sessions explore how these approaches can improve speed, quality, and cost efficiency at scale. Attendees will gain practical insight into productivity, digital integration, data-led project management, and product testing and assurance; what’s working, what isn’t, and where the market is heading.
New for 2026, The Marketing & Procurement Hub will be practical, commercial, and grounded in the realities of winning and delivering work. Bringing marketing, procurement, and supply chain thinking together in one place, sessions will cover everything from building a credible brand and generating meaningful demand, to navigating frameworks, bidding more effectively, and strengthening client and supplier relationships.
Amanda Long, Chief Executive of the Code for Construction Product Information, will chair a panel discussion at the Marketing & Procurement Hub entitled From Review to Reality: The Next Phase of Construction Product Reform on Tuesday 12th May.
Visitors can register for free by visiting: https://forms.reg.buzz/ ukcw-london-2026/cab-campaign.
Following the London show in May 2026, UKCW Birmingham will return to the NEC from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
Amanda Long
Sally Hayns
Johnstone’s Trade Obliterate Matt Emulsion A True One Coat Solution
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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS TO SUPPORT 1,100 NEW WATERSIDE HOMES AT YORKHILL QUAY, GLASGOW WATERS
Peel Waters have officially commenced infrastructure works at Yorkhill Quay, Glasgow Waters marking the next significant milestone in delivering one of Glasgow’s most transformational waterside regeneration projects in recent years.
The start on site event brought together key leaders from across Glasgow’s property, political, cultural and leisure sectors to celebrate the beginning of works that will unlock the future development of a major new waterfront neighbourhood at Glasgow Waters.
Master planned by waterside regeneration specialists Peel Waters; Glasgow Waters is an emerging mixed-use district set to transform a vacant brownfield site that runs along the River Clyde, into a thriving, well connected community. Spanning 13 acres, Yorkhill Quay is one of four neighbourhoods within Glasgow Waters,
once the enabling works are complete, infrastructure will be in place to support more than 1,100 new homes, commercial space and a leisure development.
The infrastructure works include creating a brand-new 400m waterfront promenade. The new walking, cycling and active route along Yorkhill Quay will connect two of Glasgow’s most popular leisure and tourist attractions that bookend the neighbourhood – The Clydeside Distillery and The Riverside Museum. Positioned adjacent to the River Clyde, the new walkway will create outstanding public realm and open up the site safely to the public for the first time in decades. 76 semi mature trees will be planted as part of the works, wildflower meadow grass with an urban pollinator mix to support bees will be planted, as well as four new bird boxes, two insect hotels and mixed shrub planting will all be installed to provide new wildlife habitats.
BRISTOL AIRPORT AWARDS £30M TERMINAL
EXTENSION
CONTRACT TO FARRANS
Bristol Airport has awarded a £30m terminal extension project to leading building and civil engineering contractor Farrans, as it continues with its plans to invest £400 million to transform the airport experience for customers.
Work has already commenced on the two-floor terminal extension which will infill an area between the existing terminal building and the departure gates. The new area will cater for an increase to 12 million passengers per year. There will be more space and almost double the number of shops and restaurants, with 17 new units being incorporated into the design.
There will also be space for island retail units and more seating, designed with comfort in mind. The arrivals hall is also benefitting from a new domestic arrivals reclaim area with an additional baggage carousel and an increase in capacity by 20%. Accessibility in immigration will be improved with new lifts and stairs.
Farrans, in a joint venture with Griffiths, previously completed the new Public Transport Interchange at Bristol Airport on time and on budget in July 2025.
The £3.75million infrastructure works are being funded through direct investment by Peel Waters and will deliver essential enabling works including:
• A new 3-4m wide riverside walkway along Yorkhill Quay (to be widened into a boulevard in later phases)
• Installation of new surface water and fresh water supplies
• Relocation of the Riverside Museum roundabout and creation of a new access into the Museum car park
• Improvements to connectivity between the Riverside Museum, Clydeside Distillery, Partick and Finnieston, and the wider riverfront
Scottish based contractors Advance Construction Scotland Ltd have been appointed by Peel Waters to carry out the works that are scheduled to complete in December 2026.
The £60 million project, also part of the Airport’s £400 million investment, has enabled more sustainable journeys and sees around 250 public transport movements a day.
Andrew Goodenough, Infrastructure Director at Bristol Airport said: “We have ambitious plans to transform our customer experience over the next couple of years, and we really appreciate our customers patience and understanding while all of these massive improvements are taking place.
Floor space is going to increase by almost 45% and we’ll have a total of 38 retail and food and beverage outlets including premium brands and dining options as well as a hidden speakeasy bar. We’re pleased to have Farrans back on site with us to deliver this project following the success of our Public Transport Interchange.
HARRIER PARK NOW ‘CONSTRUCTION READY’ FOLLOWING MAJOR MULTI-MILLION-POUND
ENABLING WORKS
Clowes Developments has announced that practical completion has now been achieved on the extensive programme of site preparation and enabling works at Harrier Park, Hucknall, marking a major milestone in the transformation of the historic 31 acre former brownfield site.
Following Clowes Developments’ acquisition of the site, a significant multi-million pound investment has been delivered to prepare the land for its next chapter as a high specification commercial hub.
The site, renowned for its engineering heritage linked to the Harrier “Jump Jet” and Rolls Royce Merlin engines, will now accommodate over 500,000 sq ft of new industrial and warehouse space in a prime East Midlands location on the outskirts of Nottingham, outside the workplace parking levy.
The extensive works package, delivered by lead contractor TanRo, included substantial engineering works which has delivered a construction ready plateau on Plot
1. Works included the installation of a 134 metre retaining wall featuring 64 steel columns and 127 concrete infill panels, the completion of major storm drainage works and high voltage diversion ducting, the removal of all existing surfacing and underground obstructions, the formation of the future access road, and the completion of bulk earthworks.
Plot 2 has also been fully prepared for development, with a storm drainage diversion completed, a screening bund formed to the south of Plot 2D, and bulk earthworks substantially finished to achieve the required plateau levels.
Hollie Parkes, Senior Engineer at TanRo commented on the conclusion of the project: “TanRo is delighted to have delivered the remediation and enabling works for Clowes on this excellent scheme.
“Throughout the process, we’ve seen a wide range of technical elements come together, giving us a clear perspective on the positive impact these works will have on the area.
DIGITAL INNOVATION, SOCIAL VALUE & LOW-CARBON DELIVERY: THE BIG CONVERSATIONS AT CONSTRUCTION EXPO NORTH
Construction EXPO North is taking shape and it’s set to be a must-attend moment for the region’s construction industry.
On 30 April 2026, the industry will come together at Bolton Stadium Hotel for a full-scale exhibition and conference designed around one clear goal: helping businesses across the North connect, collaborate and capitalise on what’s coming next.
With a large exhibition floor, conference theatres and a dedicated Meet the Buyer area under one roof, the event brings together contractors, developers, local authorities, consultants and suppliers from across Greater Manchester and the wider North.
Exhibit, connect and be seen
Alongside the conference, the exhibition will showcase solutions, services and innovations that are actively shaping the future of construction in the North. For exhibitors, it’s a chance to:
1. Raise profile with a highly targeted regional audience
2. Build relationships with buyers and decision-makers
3. Position your business at the heart of the North’s construction conversation
Enquire about exhibiting
2026 Exhibitors include:
Stronger, Smarter, Greener: The North’s Construction Agenda
Construction EXPO North 2026 shines a spotlight on the opportunities, challenges and big ideas shaping the future of construction across the North. With billions of pounds’ worth of projects planned across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, Yorkshire and the wider region, the sector is entering a pivotal period of growth and transformation.
The day will also feature an economic update and discussion on government spending priorities, giving attendees practical insight into what lies ahead for the industry.
Built around The North’s Construction Agenda, the programme will explore the opportunities and challenges created by billions of pounds of regional investment, including:
• Sustainability and low-carbon delivery
• Digital innovation and AI
• Building safety and skills
• Place, regeneration and social value
The day will also feature an economic update and discussion on government spending priorities, giving attendees practical insight into what lies ahead for the industry.
Designed as a positive, solutionsled programme, the day focuses on collaboration, resilience and unlocking opportunity across the entire region.
The programme explores the topics that matter most to the northern built environment community, from Sustainability & Environmental Practice, Digital, Innovation & AI in Construction, to Building Safety, Compliance & Regulation, Strengthening the Workforce, and the Role of Place, Regeneration and Existing Assets in Driving Economic and Social Value.
Register to attend for FREE!
Th Bo
50+ Exhibitors | 250+ Visitors | 15+ Exper t-Led Sessions | 200+ Meet t he Buyer Appointments
Connecting Projects, People and Possibilities Across t he Built Env ironment
