Welcome to the Friday Feed, our rundown of this week’s construction news
🚉 Rail
Rail passengers are set for the biggest timetable uplift in over a decade, with nearly 10,000 additional services a year being introduced from Sunday, driven by collaboration between Network Rail, the DfT and operators including LNER and TransPennine Express. Coventry City Council is also preparing to approve construction of its Very Light Rail pilot route between Coventry Station and the university tech park, featuring a low-cost precast slab track system. Meanwhile in Oxfordshire, the county’s OxRAIL 2040 strategy has received formal backing from the local MP, supporting long-term proposals to rebuild the line between Carterton, Witney and Oxford to ease A40 congestion and unlock future housing growth.
🛫 Ports and Aviation
The Port of Blyth has secured £275,000 from The Crown Estate to progress redevelopment plans at Battleship Wharf, supporting reclamation works and boosting capacity for the offshore wind supply chain. London Gatwick Airport has become the world’s first airport to achieve PAS 2080:2023 certification for carbon management across buildings and infrastructure. Elsewhere, campaigners are weighing an appeal after the High Court dismissed a challenge to the UK government’s approval of Luton Airport’s expansion.
⚡Energy
CorPower Ocean will lead the €30m POWER-Farm project to validate large-scale wave energy deployment in UK waters, backed by €19m from Horizon Europe. Natural Power has supported Enray Power’s acquisition of two solar farms in West Suffolk and North Yorkshire, delivering 134MWp of clean energy. Uniper has also announced plans for its first Scottish solar park, the 68MWp Berryhill scheme near Dundee. Great British Energy has opened a £300m fund to strengthen offshore wind manufacturing. The UK government has confirmed £310m for the AR7a CfD auction, with most support directed to onshore wind and solar.
đźš— Roads
Breedon Group has been appointed to deliver surfacing works on the £250m A47 upgrade in Norfolk, laying nearly 195,000 tonnes of asphalt for the new dual carriageway between North Tuddenham and Easton. Procurement has also begun for one of the world’s largest tunnel boring machines for the Lower Thames Crossing, following confirmed government funding and ahead of tunnelling from 2028.
🏠Property and development
Plans have been lodged for the first major construction phase of the ÂŁ2bn York Central regeneration, including 999 homes, a hotel, innovation space and new public realm. Lewisham Council has approved a ÂŁ125m redevelopment of the Achilles Street Estate in New Cross, replacing 88 homes with 278 new units across five buildings. Amro Partners has also submitted proposals for a ÂŁ650m mixed-use redevelopment of Lewisham Retail Park, delivering over 1,400 rental and student homes. Additional activity includes a ÂŁ50m NatWest loan to Bromford Flagship for 470 energy efficient social homes, and Trafford Council launching procurement for a ÂŁ60m residential scheme at Stretford Mall.
đź’§Water
Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure has launched a £48m procurement for the first phase of the Portadown flood alleviation programme, forming part of a wider multi-phase framework. SES Water has committed £4.5m to upgrade the Cheam Water Treatment Works following a major outage affecting local customers. Hercules plc. has secured £6.2m in new subcontract packages across Thames Water and Anglian Water regions to support clean and wastewater treatment upgrades. In Southend, a £90m partnership between the council and Anglian Water aims to reduce flooding and create a new green space along the seafront.
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