New News information at World Construction Network

Plans submitted for next phase of Locking Parklands development in UK

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:50:00 GMT

St. Modwen plans to develop a further 1,200 homes and 650,000 square feet of commercial space as the next phase of the Locking Parklands development on the 200-acre former RAF Locking site.

Initial phases of the development has delivered a 6,000 square feet office building, which could create up to 60 jobs and 100 new homes, is now 95% sold. The construction work is already underway on 150 homes in the second phase of housing offering one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes.

The project will comprise approximately 650,000 square feet of employment space, including a 30,000 square feet innovation centre, providing flexible work space for small companies and creating an estimated 2,000 employment related jobs.

In terms of residential development, approximately 1,450 new homes in total are proposed of which an element will be affordable homes. The plans also include proposals for a secondary and a primary school, with 80 acres of landscaped open space and a new district centre, which will include a retail high street and additional leisure and community facilities.

The HCA has invested around £6 million ($9.3 million) in the first phase of development at Locking Parklands, taking the total level of investment by the HCA to more than £12.2 million ($19.1 million) since 2002. The planning application should be determined later in 2013.

Wates selected to revamp Wragge & Co offices in UK

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:47:00 GMT

Located at Birmingham's central business district, the development forms part of the £500 million ($781.8 million) phased redevelopment of Snowhill. The work will see the international law firm occupy eight of the 14 floors available at the new Grade A office building.

The scope of the work involves provision of 16,500 square metres of furnished 1,800-capacity office space that will have a BREEAM rating of Excellent. The project will also include the installation of a state-of-the-art client suite and business lounge, seminar and well-being suites, restaurant and training academy.

The project's main contractor, Wates, will work in partnership with Wragge & Co to appoint local subcontractors and suppliers to help facilitate delivery of the project. Wates will commence the fit-out in June 2013, with Rider Levett Bucknall acting as quantity surveyor for the works. The work on the project is scheduled to be completed in mid-2014.

Resmark, Lennar Multifamily begin work on housing project in Arizona

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:42:00 GMT

The 328-unit apartment project is located n 5.72 acres in an unparalleled location south of the Tempe Center for the Arts on Rio Salado Parkway, adjacent to Tempe Town Lake and Arizona State University.

The development features five-storey buildings set around greenbelts, with amenities including two swimming pools, cabana seating areas, a state-of-the-art fitness centre with water views and a clubhouse with rooftop patio offering sweeping views of the lake, downtown Phoenix and downtown Tempe.

The housing units will range from studios to three bedrooms with spacious floor plans, ceiling heights will range from nine to 19 feet, and residences will have either a balcony or patio. The homes have been designed with top quality finishes including plank wood flooring, contemporary cabinetry, granite or quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The community's location offers easy access to area freeways and transportation, such as the light rail system connections to downtown Tempe, metro Phoenix and Sky Harbor International Airport. The construction work on the project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015, with the leasing office anticipated to open in early 2014.

Statkraft to begin work on Devoll hydropower project in Albania

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:38:00 GMT

Initially, the company has decided to build the two hydropower plants Banjë and Moglicë with a combined capacity of 243MW and an annual production of about 700GWh.

In total, the Devoll project consists of three hydropower plants in the valley of Devoll, with an installed capacity of 278MW. On average the power plants will produce about 800GWh annually, increasing the Albanian electricity production by almost 20%. The investment decision for the third plant will be considered when the first two plants are completed.

The power plants are located on the Devoll river, about 70km southeast of the capital Tirana. The plants will utilise a head of 555m in the Devoll river, between 650m and 95m above sea level. The first two plants will be developed with an investment capital of €535 million ($716.4 million).

The tendering process for the main contracts is in its final stage and main construction works are planned to start in October 2013. The plants are expected to be completed in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Devoll Hydropower Sh.A, an equal stake joint venture between Statkraft and the Austrian energy company EVN, will execute the project. Earlier in 2013, Statkraft acquired EVN's 50% share and is now 100% owner of the company and the construction project.

The change in ownership is approved by Albanian authorities. The concession agreement gives Devoll Hydropower the right to build, own and operate the power plants until they are transferred back to Albanian authorities at the end of the concession period.

Boral further restructures timber operations

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Boral Timber will exit the residue and woodchip export business at the end of June 2013 due to a substantial fall in demand driven principally by deterioration in price competitiveness due to the high Australian dollar. While Boral is continuing to pursue alternative customers for sawmill residues in Australia, Boral Timber's residue processing plant at Tea Gardens and the stockpiling and ship loading assets at the Port of Newcastle will be offered for sale.

In Queensland, Boral has advised customers that it will no longer distribute softwood products through its Brisbane warehouse and has instead appointed an independent distributor for this product range. Boral will close part of its Brisbane warehouse but will continue to distribute hardwood timber from the site.

Boral has also announced that it is discontinuing production of Engineered Flooring at Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales. The high cost of domestic manufacturing, a high Australian dollar and high levels of inventory have all contributed to the timing of this decision. The Murwillumbah plant will continue to manufacture overlay solid flooring, which is less exposed to import competition.

Boral Timber's executive general manager, Steve Dadd, said, "As part of our efforts to ensure Boral Timber remains a sustainable business, our restructure will result in some job losses, which is regrettable but sadly, unavoidable.

"The strength of the Australian dollar and associated high volume of imports, combined with low levels of demand and high manufacturing costs, are all creating very challenging conditions for the business. We are leaving no stone unturned to reduce costs and increase efficiencies where we can".

In this latest round of restructuring in Boral Timber, there will be a reduction of 29 positions, however, as a result of redeployment and not filling vacancies in recent months, only eight permanent employees have been made redundant. These affected employees will receive redundancy payments and be provided with appropriate support including outplacement services to assist them through their transition.

Saudi National Contracting Company to build power transmission line in Oman

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:17:00 GMT

The transmission line will be built simultaneously with the governorate's first natural gas-based power plant, which is currently the subject of a competitive tender.

The electricity from the power plant, which is expected to be sized at around 120MW, will be supplied to towns and villages in Dibba and Khasab, supplanting diesel-based electrical generation for the first time in the governorate.

The 132kV overhead transmission line will start at Tibat in Wilayat Bukha, where the power plant is proposed to be located. It will travel around 18km to Khasab and extend a further 80km all the way to Dibba. As part of the project, 132kV grid stations will be built at Tibat, Khasab and Dibba. The Musandam power transmission project is set to be completed in two years.

The natural gas as fuel for the power plant at Tibat will be supplied from a new integrated oil and gas processing plant (also known as the Musandam Gas Plant) currently under development by Oman Oil's upstream subsidiary, Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP).

OOCEP is investing around $600 million in an integrated processing plant with a capacity to treat 45 million standard cubic feet per day of gas and 20,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Hyundai is building the gas plant on an EPC contract.

NIB approves $55 million loan for road tunnel in Norway

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:14:00 GMT

The 17-year-maturity loan is earmarked for the construction of a 35km new road, including a record long road tunnel of 10.7km, connecting main highway E6 with the coastal area.

According to NIB, the new road, which replaces the frequently weather exposed county road 78, will shorten driving distances significantly. It will also enhance competitiveness for the regional fishing, petroleum and dairy industries.

Henrik Normann, president and CEO of NIB, said: "NIB's loan to Helgeland Veiutvikling ensures an important boost that links Helgeland together, as good infrastructure is essential for dynamic countryside development."

Helgeland Veiutvikling is a regional non-profit, special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by, municipalities in Helgeland, Nordland County and local banks. The SPV has been established to finance road projects in the region as well as to collect road tolls.

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries.

Willmott Dixon to develop phase III of Orchard Village in UK

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:10:00 GMT

Old Ford Housing Association, part of affordable housing provider Circle Housing Group, is responsible for the £80 million ($125.6 million) masterplan to replace the 1960s-era high-rise Mardyke estate with Orchard Village.

Under the terms of the contract, Willmott Dixon will build 87 homes, with 29 available for affordable rent, 28 for shared ownership and 30 for sale.

The new contract means that Willmott Dixon will have been involved in all three phases of the village, which is replacing 516 homes with 555 new homes comprising 339 general needs, 64 shared ownership and 152 private sale properties. There are also local shops and a new Primary Care Trust facility. The work on the Orchard Village is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

Charlie Scherer, COO at Willmott Dixon's housing company said: "We're very proud of our role in building Orchard Village, which will offer a fantastic living environment to so many people.

"During phases one and two, our community engagement was a key feature, so much so that we were recently one of only a few projects in the UK that won a Considerate Constructor Scheme gold award. This is an ethos that will very much continue as we start phase three."

Sadara signs financing for $19.3 billion petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:05:00 GMT

Sadara has entered into definitive agreements with a number of export credit agencies, commercial banks and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia for approximately $10.5 billion of additional project financing.

The financing supplements the $2 billion raised through a Sukuk islamic bond issuance in April 2013, bringing the total Sadara project financing raised to approximately $12.5 billion, which will be used to fund the construction and start-up of the joint venture.

When completed, Sadara will be the largest chemicals complex ever built in a single phase. The complex will be comprised of 26 manufacturing units, will possess flexible cracking capabilities and is expected to produce more than three million metric tons of high-value performance plastics and specialty chemical products. The first production units are expected to be operational in the second half of 2015, with full production set to commence in mid-2016.

Khalid Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, said: "These financing agreements demonstrate the significant progress that Sadara has made since we signed the JV agreement with our partner Dow in 2011. The strong response from the lenders demonstrates confidence in Sadara and in its capabilities as it moves forward to start-up in 2015.

"As the project execution moves ahead, I'm more confident than ever in the future of this bold venture, which will become a significant cornerstone of Saudi Aramco's ambitious downstream growth strategy as well as contributing to the kingdom's economic diversification and job creation aspirations," Al-Falih said.

Carillion Alawi wins $204 million contract from Omran

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:00 GMT

The contract forms part of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre Project, which has an estimated construction value in the region of £1 billion ($1.57 billion).

The scope of the contract involves the construction of 13 buildings, including exhibition halls with a gross floor area of 45,000 square metres, an energy centre, ancillary buildings for security, taxi services, maintenance, waste management facilities and electrical substations and car parks for 4,200 vehicles.

Pursuant to the 18-month contract, Carillion Alawi will also deliver mechanical, electrical and plumbing installation, all interior finishes and landscaping. The work on the contract is scheduled to begin in July 2013.

Carillion Alawi stated that further contracts for subsequent packages on the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre Precinct, including auditorium and banquet Halls, a 5-star hotel, a 4-star hotel, the Business District, and hotel apartments are expected to come to market between now and the end of 2014.

Richard Howson, CEO of Carillion, said: "We are delighted to have been selected to deliver this package of the prestigious Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre Project.

"I believe this award reflects Carillion Alawi's outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality projects. Furthermore, the project's energy requirements will benefit from Carillion's energy services capability."