🚉 Rail
The new Welsh Government has commenced formal talks with Westminster to help secure a fairer share of rail funding. This was a key part of Plaid Cymru’s election messaging after it was revealed that Wales would not receive any of the planned HS2 project. Also in rail news, a public and stakeholder consultation has opened for proposed major upgrades to the railway in Birmingham. The consultation will last for eight weeks and focuses on the upgrades to the rail system between Bordesley and Birmingham Moor Street.
🛫 Ports & Aviation
The government have released plans which will provide a stronger presumption in favour of granting development consent orders for ports. This is a part of a revised national policy statement which was published this week. Keir Mather, the minister for aviation, maritime and decarbonisation stated that this decision was needed as the development of ports within the United Kingdom was “essential for supporting growth, energy resilience and energy transition.”
⚡Energy
Atkins have secured a Sizewell C framework, set to last for five years to continue its role as design partner for the civil works. They will be responsible for much of the site infrastructure for the 3.2GW nuclear power project, covering the multidisciplinary design and engineering for the permanent plant, including the Conventional Island, Balance of Plant, heat‑sink buildings and ancillary works. Great British Energy- Nuclear has launched a procurement process for Small Modular Reactors valued at just over £1Bn. This programme will last until 2046 and involves the delivering of new nuclear power plants. In addition, British Energy has awarded two contractors with a long term Owner’s Engineer contract for up to £300M. Cavendish and Amentum are the winners and have been signed to the role for 14 years until April 2040.
đźš— Roads
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham have released a report which states that there is no financial option for the plan to reopen Hammersmith Bridge to vehicles. The council deemed it no longer financially viable due to the £300M cost. Initial hopes were for funding to be secured via the government’s £1Bn structures fund, however this fund requires all projects to be finished by 2030 which is unrealistic for a project of this complexity.
🏠Property and development
A united plea have been issued by some of the leading names of the construction industry to the incoming Prime Minister to not disregard the Government’s £72.5Bn infrastructure strategy. This is after it was announced some roads and energy projects would be sidelined to help fund the significant increase in defence budget. Eastleigh Borough Council in Hampshire are searching for a design and build contractor to deliver a major house building package at its flagship One Horton Health development. The housing job is worth up to £100M. This is part of the larger One Norton Heath scheme which will provide 2,500 new homes. The Ministry of Defence is planning to split the next housing maintenance contracts, the value of which is up to £6.6Bn. The contracts are expected to run from March 2029 to February 2036, with options to extend until February 2039. The interested firms have until 22 October to express their interest.
đź’§Water
United Utilities have appointed Barhale to help improve water quality in Stockport. Barhale will be responsible for constructing a new detention tank at Bramhall Precinct car park to reduce the number of times the storm overflow operates into the brook, a tributary of the River Mersey. This is part of United Utilities’ aim to reduce storm overflow spills by 60% by 2030. Barhale’s detention tank is expected to be completed by early summer next year.