The contract runs for an initial 7 years, with a further 7 year extension available.”

So far, House price rises appeared to slow, with just 17% more chartered surveyors reported a rise than a fall in house prices. This is down from 31% in January 2010.

A RICS spokesperson said: “Most market indicators are still positive and consistent with further house price increases. However the magnitude of the gains going forward is likely to continue to ease reflecting the fact that new supply coming onto the market is starting to outstrip fresh demand.”

Source: Building.co.uk.

It is understood that the client is in talks with the three remaining firms and that a decision is expected within the next few weeks.

The £100M office development which is known as Amex House, will be constructed on the car park site of the present Amercian Express building in Mighell Street.

Some demolition work is also involved in the job.

The project centres on a nine-storey call centre and a four-storey data centre.
Work on site is expected to kick off early in 2010.

Neil Jefferson, Chief executive of the Zero Carbon Hub, said “It is vital that we create a positive public perception of new high performing homes of the future.

“This is a huge challenge that requires industry leadership and resource to achieve. A bad marketing plan or one created in haste may turn-off home-buyers and delay the urgency of these initiatives”.
Source: Building.co.uk.

The explosion was caused when foam concrete was placed into a dry well and extended beneath an existing metal floor. Hydrogen was produced by the concrete leading to the explosion the following morning when it was thought, a spark from a grinder and ignited the build up of gas.

Andy Dodman, The health and safety manager at Barhale said “Our investigation has concluded that the presence of aluminium particles in the IBA product generate hydrogen gas after the concrete mixing process. The use of foam concrete containing IBA is therefore no longer permitted by Barhale, only foam concrete mixes containing inert ingredients.”

Source: ContractJournal.com.

University Hospitals Birmingham Trust said most of the building work had been completed and the Queens Elizabeth Hospital is expected to hit all its target dates.

The hospital will be the first in the city for 70 years when the initial phase opens in 2010, before it is completely finished in 2012. The project combines the existing Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak hospitals and will boast 30 operating theatres when it is fully up and running it.

The new facility is being funded by the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Previous concerns about cost have not deterred the trust, who said the project was within budget and that costs had been carefully considered.

Professor Allyson Pollock, a PFI expert from the University of Edinburgh, said: “The real question is that now we are going into a major public expenditure downturn how are these payments going to be afforded and the same levels of care provided?”

A trust spokesman said: “We are very comfortable with the costs and the quality of care the hospital will provide for patients make this scheme absolutely worthwhile.”

Copyright © Press Association 2009

The three-year project involves refurbishment and modernisation of facilities in an area extending from the Humber Estuary to the Bristol Channel, and from mid Wales to the East Midlands.

Allenbuild, BAM and ISG will share larger projects worth £1 million and above. Projects below £1 million will be handled by Britcon, ISG and Interserve.

Maintenance and building group Interserve had recently been chosen as a preferred partner for a £60 million project for Thames Water.

Interserve chief executive Adrian Ringrose said: “This framework further extends our long and successful relationship with Severn Trent and is another important win within the water industry, where we have built a strong market position.”

Bryan Hemmings of Severn Trent commented: “Our strategic aim is to be the Best Water Company in the UK with the lowest charges, and the highest standards.

“Providing our workforce with excellent facilities is key to this and we are delighted that Interserve will be working with us to achieve this.”

The former Dynamex site in Caernarfon had been tipped for purchase in February by the then prisons minister David Hanson.

Up to 1,000 jobs from the 800-capacity prison could have been provided by development on the 27-acre site, chosen from among four Welsh sites after a four-month consultation period.

Mr Hanson had earlier said the deal was “subject to financial checks”.

But the new prisons minister Maria Eagle said the Dynamex deal did not provide the “best value for the taxpayer”.

She said: “After careful consideration, the Ministry of Justice has decided to withdraw its interest in acquiring the former Dynamex site near Caernarfon in North Wales. We have a responsibility to ensure we get best value for the taxpayer.

“We were aware of potential issues with this site, and our due diligence procedures established that it is not suitable for prison development.”

She added that potential new sites would be identified in Wales with a new open and consultative search process in collaboration with the Wales Office, Welsh Assembly Government and others.

The move did not affect plans to sell the former police training college site at Cwmbran, she said, adding that their commitment to provide 96,000 prison places by 2014 had not been not affected either.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

(Ministry of Justice)

The plans will appease green issue campaigners and commuters alike when the Glasgow to Edinburgh line is electrified and journey times could be slashed to up 35 minutes. The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) will also fund a number of other railway improvements in central Scotland and Network Rail will fund the project by borrowing money against its assets.

The firm, which owns rail stations, tracks and commercial property, has agreed the deal in principal with the Office of Rail Regulation, but the finer details of the proposal are set to be finalised.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Transport Scotland has asked Network Rail to use our regulatory asset base to facilitate the funding of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.

“This project has wide ranging benefits for communities across the central belt of Scotland and we look forward to playing our role in delivering this ambitious programme.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government has ambitious plans for improving the country`s rail network and is delivering the biggest transport construction programme seen in Scotland in a generation.”

Professor David MacKay said that public opposition to developments such as nuclear power plants, windfarms and tidal barrages was partly to blame for the prospect of electricity shortages.

The Cambridge University researcher, who set out his warnings in a book entitled Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air, will join the Department for Energy and Climate Change as special adviser on October 1.

Professor MacKay said if not attended to, the market would build new gas-powered stations in order fill the energy gap, which could risk the Government’s climate change targets.

The country’s carbon footprint can only be reduced through construction of renewable energy facilities on a large scale, he said.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The scale of building required is absolutely enormous.”

Significant lifestyle changes to reduce energy consumption or buying in electricity generated abroad from renewable sources, such as solar panels in the desert, could serve as alternatives.