Welcome to the Friday Feed, our rundown of this week’s construction news
🚉 Rail
In the rail industry, Windermere station is set to be redesigned by Mott MacDonald. Westmorland and Furness Council have appointed the firm to develop a concept masterplan for an upgraded railway station; aiming to improve local transport links and the arrival experience for visitors to the Lake District. In Coventry, Arup have appointed Tony Gee as a partner to design the next stage of Coventry Very Light Rail. The city is set to host an 800m twin-track demonstrator of a lightweight rail system designed to be cheaper and quicker to install than conventional light rail. In Wales, Graham is set to build the £100m Cardiff Crossrail phase one. The tram-train will link the city centre with Cardiff Bay.
🛫 Ports & Airports
Public consultation has launched to reopen Manston Airport, the stage 3 public airspace consultation has started, with the Kent airport aiming to reopen as an air freight hub. Consultation will run from 16 March to 22 June, including both in-person and online events. In Northern Ireland, Lysara has bought a 91,000 sq. ft distribution facility in Belfast. The facility, which is fully let to Amazon, is located at the Channel Commercial Park in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the 10-acre site has direct access to Belfast Port.
⚡Energy
In the energy sphere, the chief executive of Ofgem is set to step down. Jonathan Brearley will leave the role at the end of March to become permanent secretary at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Tim Jarvis who currently serves as director general for markets, will be acting chief executive until a permanent replacement is appointed. Elsewhere, Tesla will be able to start supplying UK homes with electricity, bringing a new competitor into the market as worries rise about energy prices. Tesla Energy Ventures has now been approved as an electricity supplier after a process which began last July. In Wales, Mace and Arup have landed roles on the UK’s first small modular reactor. The project at Wylfa in North Wales will see the companies working with Great British Energy to lead early phase foundation engineering and programme management.
🚗 Roads
Council leaders in South Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway have called for action on ‘unsafe’ trunk roads. They are calling on the Scottish and UK Governments to invest in the A77 and the A75, two major trunk roads critical for connecting passengers and freight between England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Cambridgeshire, Winvic has been appointed to deliver the Waterbeach Station Haul Road. This is the company’s first project awarded under the Eastern Highways Alliance Framework (EHF4). The £800m framework is managed by Central Bedfordshire Council and includes a collaborative group of ten local authorities across the Southeast. Also in Cambridgeshire, a £150m Cambridge to Cambourne busway job is being put out to tender. Cambridgeshire County Council is preparing to invite bids for the construction of the busway and park-and-ride scheme which forms a key part of the Greater Cambridge Sustainable Transport Programme.
🏠Property and development
On the south coast, a contractor has been named for Bournemouth FC’s stadium expansion plans. The club has appointed Stadium Structures as their preconstruction partner, as they work to expand the Vitality Stadium to more than 20,000 seats; the firm will now lead the design and construction planning. Keepmoat and Cussins are to complete a £200m South Shields regeneration scheme. The site at Holborn has undergone extensive remediation works including decontamination of the ground, raising of the former dry docks to overcome serious flooding issues, and construction of a new quay edge wall. In new financial results, Costain has announced a record £7bn forward order book for the year ending 31 December 2025. Group operating profit rose by 44.1% to £44.8m up from £31.1m the year before.
💧Water
In Cheshire, United Utilities has begun a £34.4m upgrade at Crewe wastewater treatment works, with Costain using techniques from industrial cooling systems to refurbish the works filters. A Swedish investment firm has taken a major stake in Yorkshire Water. EQT has acquired a 42% stake in Kelda Holdings, the parent company of Yorkshire Water. In a statement Yorkshire Water described EQT as a “purpose-driven global investor with deep experience in managing long-term strategic assets and a strong track record of managing critical infrastructure”. Finally, in Ireland, West Donegal water supplies has been strengthened after a €30m investment. Uisce Éireann have invested money to upgrade and modernise water treatment plants, with the company saying these significant improvements ensure the delivery of safe, clean and reliable drinking water for local customers.
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