Labour plans to target action on housebuilding from ‘day one’ The Labour Party wants to implement planning reforms in an effort to supercharge housebuilding. In an interview with The Times, party leader Kier Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said they would “hit the ground running” and initiate a flurry of housebuilding initiatives from “day […]

Construction Growth Hits Two-Year High The ongoing recovery in the construction sector continued in May, a new survey showed, as an upturn in commercial property helped push activity to its highest level in two year. S&P’s Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) for the construction sector rose to 54.7 in May, up from 53.0 in April. Anything […]

What is Class 6I Material? Class 6I is a selected, well graded granular material used as a fill to reinforced soils and anchored earth structures. The grading requirements are set out in Series 600 Earthwork of the Specification for Highway Works.   What materials can be used to produce Class 6I? It can be produced […]

Construction buyers see fastest growth for 14 months Construction buyers reported another rise in business activity in April with commercial building work leading the way. The Bellwether S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index posted 53.0 in April, up from 50.2 in March. The index was in positive territory for the second month running and […]

What is Class 1A Material? Class 1A is a well graded granular material that is typically used as general fill. The grading requirements are detailed in Series 600 of the Specification for Highway Works.   What material can be used to produce Class 1A It can be produced using both quarried & recycled materials. The […]

What is Type B Filter Material? Type B Filter Material is a granular material used for bedding, haunching, and surrounding pipes in construction applications. The grading requirements are set out in series 500 drainage and service ducts of the specification for highway works.   What Materials can be used to produce Type B Filter Material? […]

Government 55-day average payment rule comes into force Contractors bidding for public works contracts worth over £5m must demonstrate they pay all invoices within 55 days, or face a public work ban. The new stricter payment rules came into force from the 1st April and require firms to demonstrate they are paying 95% of invoices […]

What is Class 6H Material? Class 6H is selected granular fill material that is used as a drainage layer to reinforced soil and anchored earth structures. The grading requirements are defined in Series 600 Earthworks of the Specification for Highway Works.   What materials can be used to produce Class 6H? Class 6H can be […]

What is Class 6F1 Material? Class 6F1 material is a selected granular material with a fine grading that is used for capping. The grading requirements for this material are defined in Series 600 Earthwork of the Specification for Highway Works.   What material can be used to produce Class 6F1 It can be produced using […]

Construction back in growth as output rises 1.1% in January Construction enjoyed a surprise return to growth at the start of 2024 with monthly construction output in January rising 1.1% in volume terms. The uplift follows three consecutive monthly falls, with green shoots of growth fed by increases in both new work (1.1%) and repair […]

What is Class 6N Material? Class 6N material is a selected, well graded granular fill material that is typically used as a fill to structures. The grading requirements for this material are defined in Series 600 Earthwork of the Specification for Highway Works.   What materials can be used to produce Class 6N? It can […]

Construction buyers see happier times ahead Optimism levels among construction buyers have hit their highest levels in two years. Results from the bellwether S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index in January showed a strong improvement in business activity expectations as the main index registered 48.8 – up from 46.8 in December and the highest […]