“Rise up”: The full text of Tony Blair’s Open Britain speech on Brexit February 17, 2017 Tony Blair has been absent from British politics for years, now – but today he returned in spectacular style, urging the UK's population to "rise up" against Brexit. Although some (including former deputy PM Nick Clegg) liked it, the majority of reaction has been that he missed the mark. Not sure what you think? Here's [...]
Kier Group has so far shrugged off the Brexit vote September 22, 2016 Kier Group's shares rose as much as 8.13 per cent to 1,384.00p per share this morning, after the construction and infrastructure firm said it had emerged unscathed from the Brexit vote. The figures Kier Group posted a pre-tax loss of £15m in the year ended 30 June due to one-off costs, such as those relating to its acquisition [...]
London Zoo’s aviary and an iconic City of London church right by Bank station have been added to the at risk buildings register October 21, 2016 An iconic City of London church and London Zoo's aviary are among the buildings added to the "Heritage At Risk" register by Historic England. The organisation said settlement in the tower of the Church of St Mary Woolnoth, right next to the Lombard Street exit of Bank Station, has caused cracks, while parts of the [...]
All eyes of EDF as it meets to decide on £18bn Hinkley Point C July 28, 2016 French utility giant EDF is expected to take the long-delayed final investment decision on its Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset. EDF board members are meeting in Paris today, where they're expected to greenlight the controversial project. UK unions have thrown their weight behind the project, which will create tens of thousands of jobs and [...]
Gatwick signs up Bechtel as new partner in runway bid October 2, 2016 Gatwick Airport has announced a strategic partnership with construction giant Bechtel to deliver a second runway by 2025 – should it win over the government with its expansion plans. The airport hopes this confirmation will give it the edge over Heathrow, ahead of the long-awaited decision on which airport the government will back. Heathrow won [...]
Sadiq Khan’s plan for one new East London road crossing just isn’t enough October 4, 2016 After years of lobbying for more fixed river crossings east of Tower Bridge, Sadiq Khan’s announcement yesterday that the Silvertown tunnel, along with a DLR extension from Gallions Reach towards Thamesmead and a cycle bridge between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf, will get the go-ahead is hugely welcome news for London. But he must not stop [...]
Garden Bridge designer unveils a ‘stairway to nowhere’ – for New York September 23, 2016 The designer behind London’s Garden Bridge project over the River Thames, which continues to stir much controversy here, has unveiled another ambitious project. Thomas Heatherwick’s latest design, titled ‘Vessel’, was unveiled in New York last week. It depicts an enormous honeycomb-like structure with a free-standing collection of multi-level staircases. But the scheme is set to [...]
Liberty House to restart large steel bar and rod rolling mill in Kent October 14, 2016 Industrials group Liberty House has ploughed more investment into the UK steel industry and is set to revive a large mill in Kent by mid-next year, the company said today. Liberty will restart rod and bar rolling mills at the facility in Sheerness in Kent, which shut down more than four years ago. The group [...]
Sadiq Khan has recruited Margaret Hodge to lead a new Garden Bridge procurement probe, but London Assembly members are questioning the plan September 22, 2016 London mayor Sadiq Khan has recruited the former chair of parliament's public spending watchdog to lead an inquiry into the Garden Bridge project. Margaret Hodge will review whether taxpayers have got value for money from the £185m footbridge, which is being being supported by £60m of public money from Westminster and Transport for London. Among [...]
UK house price growth slowed again in November December 1, 2016 House prices grew by 0.1 per cent in November, with the rate of growth slowing to 4.4 per cent from 4.6 per cent in October, and analysts pointed to market uncertainty and cautious buyers and sellers having a cooling effect on the sector. The Nationwide House Prices Index showed the average price of a house [...]