Daily updated construction news for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland from http://www.build.co.uk http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp 10/03/2010 : 15:38:49 The building trade will be among the first to be benefit from a large retail and leisure development being planned for a Co Tyrone border town.The investment for Strabane includes a Local Employment Partnership agreement that stipulates that material and workers must be sourced locally and that up to a quarter of the workforce must also be made up of local apprentices.It has been reported that..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108181 10 March 2010 The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has today unveiled a five-year strategic plan with a mission of transforming Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices.The plan also aims to make Ireland a "recognised global leader in sustainable energy".Over the course of the five-year strategy, SEAI claims the plan will result in savings of a..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108191 10 March 2010 There has been a call to 'build' on opportunities for the local construction industry.SDLP East Derry candidate Cllr Thomas Conway said a Stormont Executive-led effort to boost the economy in general and the building trades in particular should start at once.He said: "Sinn Fein and the DUP are telling us their two-year stand-off is over. "Perhaps now they might pay attention to the recession..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108152 10 March 2010 A planned road construction project in Co Antrim will be a "triumph for co-operation politics", according to a local politician.With employment on the building project looming, the SDLP's East Antrim candidate Justin McCamphill has said the construction of a dual carriageway from Larne to the M2 outside Belfast will be an example of the kind of co-operation politics that the SDLP has practised a..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108159 10 March 2010 One of Europe's leading clay brick manufacturers, Wienerberger, is to open its first dedicated sales and distribution centre in Ireland this month.In line with the company's other European centres, the new operation will also incorporate a state-of-the-art showroom, to be located in Newtownabbey, Co AntrimCommenting on the news, Wienerberger UK MD Harald Schwarzmayr said: "Although the Irish m..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108147 10 March 2010 NI Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has cut the first sod on the site of a new school building for Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche in Castlewellan.The first phase of the new building, which can accommodate up to 85 pupils, is due to be completed by September.Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister said: "I am pleased to be invited here to mark a new chapter in Irish-medium education in Castlewella..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108124 10 March 2010 Cala Homes has sold six homes in the past six weeks at its Broughton Gate development in Broughton, Milton Keynes, despite the fact that most of the plots sold are not yet past foundation level."People are keen to buy our new homes at their current prices and are willing to wait a few months before they can move in," said Ruth Williams, Cala Homes (Midlands) area sales and marketing director."..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=107967 10 March 2010 A Co Armagh estate agent has been fined £300 at Craigavon Magistrates" Court, for misrepresenting properties offered for sale in Lurgan.In a case brought by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Williams Estate Agents (N.I.) Ltd was convicted of one charge brought under the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991, and acquitted on another similar charge. ..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108123 10 March 2010 Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen has rejected any suggestions that the Attorney General is delaying the publication of the report into the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked Mr Cowen when the report would be published. Mr Kenny also asked if the Attorney General needed more staff to deal with a backlog of legal issues and if this was the reason for the delay i..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108110 10 March 2010 The Stormont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced two investments, totalling £39million, aimed at benefiting local dairy processing industry.The projects were announced as the Minister visited Dale Farm's facility at Dunmanbridge near Cookstown, where she officially opened a £5million state of the art cheddar cheese making facility.A £36million investment by Dale Farm, supported by ..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108167 10 March 2010 Bristol City Council's drive to cut the number of long-term empty properties through a combination of help and enforcement has seen the numbers brought back into use rise by 13 per cent, compared to figures for 2007.In 2007, the number of long-term empty properties - unoccupied for more than six months - stood at 2,080. In 2008 the figure had been cut to 1,982. Currently, the number of long-term..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=107940 10 March 2010 A pub in Limerick, dubbed the cheapest in Ireland, has gone on to the market.Smithy's Door pub in Limerick City is available for €149,999, according to the Irish Independent.Estate agent Pat Kearney of Rooneys (Limerick) said he is hopeful of getting that price for the freehold property, with the vendor being happy to offer it for a relatively small sum.The pub is located at the junction of ..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108174 10 March 2010 Npower today announced reductions in domestic gas prices for approximately two million standard domestic gas customers averaging 7%, or £50. These cuts will take effect from 26 March and will make npower cheaper on average than British Gas for gas.Npower said its monthly direct debit gas customers will receive £50 a year discounts, up from £20. Direct debit electricity customers will receive..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=108103 10 March 2010 Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has announced a triple boost for councils tackling climate change by updating planning rules, granting nearly £10million to improve green skills and backing further progress by the 'second wave' of eco-towns.Three planning policies have been overhauled so that councils have the very latest targets and guidance to address climate change, putting them in t..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=108078 10 March 2010 The Government has broken the promise it made six years ago to update the 1935 overcrowding standard, leaving more than a million children trapped in overcrowded homes, Shelter says.In response to over 2,500 signatories on a Shelter petition, the Government has said it will not update the overcrowding standard, as promised in 2004, until "the right processes are in place to support overcrowded h..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=107972 10 March 2010 Barnsley Cabinet Members have considered the latest cash injection into council housing across Barnsley.Cllr Bill Newman, Cabinet Spokesperson for Development delivered the report which sought approval to invest nearly £33 million in 2010/2011 for council homes in Barnsley.He said: "Some of this money may well be used to build new homes and over £11 million will be spent on making existing hom..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=107885 10 March 2010 An innovative high-tech device for beam quality and pulse to pulse stability has been developed.Rofin designs and builds industrial lasers and systems for laser welding, marking, etching and engraving as well as for laser cutting of metals and non-metals and surface modification and ablation with the company's new PowerLine SL 8 IC made specifically for the fine cutting operations required on TF..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=108117 10 March 2010 Bridge Interiors, established in 1972 and brings over 30 years of specialist knowledge and skills to the design of office interiors, has announced it will be exhibiting the Excel/Easyfairs Interior Fit-Out Exhibition.The exhibition takes place on Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 May, and Bridge Interiors (Exhibition Stand No. D5) is looking forward to welcoming all visitors to its stand.Bridge Inter..... http://www.build.co.uk/construction_news.asp?newsid=108034 10 March 2010 House prices are continuing to fall across Northern Ireland, new figures have revealed.The latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed that house sales are increasing but are still some distance from reaching "normal levels"."The housing market, like the economy, is in recovery mode," said RICS Northern Ireland housing spokesman, Tom McClelland."However, lik..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108081 09 March 2010 Ireland's longest-standing construction consultancy firm celebrates its 150th anniversary today.Davis Langdon PKS marked the occasion with a reception for over 300 people including current and former staff as well as clients in the soon-to-open Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin - a project on which the firm has worked."Over the last 150 years we have grown from having an office in Dublin to having..... http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=108088 09 March 2010