Work to provide access into Doncaster’s Waterfront development and help redevelop this prime town centre location is back on track and set to start on Tuesday 2 April 2013.

The initial phase of works will see improvements made to the Holmes Market roundabout which will be followed by the construction of the proposed internal spine road into the 15 hectare site.

A joint venture between two north-east construction companies has resulted in a range of cost-effective, quick to construct, eco-friendly permanent school buildings that taking the education world by storm.

Gateshead-based Koru Property Services and Clearspace Buildings formed a strategic partnership earlier this year, bringing together the innovative designs of Clearspace Buildings and the in-house production and construction facilities of Koru.

The third UK Concrete Show achieved record-breaking numbers of attendees, exhibitors and an increase in show area of almost 50% according to organisers', Marwood Events.

The 2013 show attendance of 4732 was up by 33% from 2012 following the move to the NEC from the Ricoh Arena and for the first time the show featured an extensive outside equipment display area alongside the 8000m2 of indoor space.

On International Women’s Day, CITB is calling on construction professionals to follow the lead of 2013 Women in Construction Green Leadership Award winner Isabel McAllister, and gain the right skills to succeed in low carbon construction.

Ms McAllister, Sustainability Director at Mace, has herself taken advantage of CITB training and qualifications in the past, and underlines the role environmental efficiency has to play in construction.

In response to the publication of the Green Construction Board’s 2050 Low Carbon Routemap, Dr Pal Chana, Executive Director of MPA Cement, said:

“The Green Construction Board’s routemap calls on individual sectors of the economy to come forward with their own plans to cut carbon by 2050. I am delighted to say that the UK cement industry has not only embraced this challenge but has led the way by publishing its 2050 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Strategy last month.  This is the first time any national cement body in the world has done this and we are proud to be setting the pace.”

The National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham was the location for two recent major events in the construction calendar - Solid Wood Solutions and the Fabric First Event. Held over two days, the back-to-back conferences and exhibitions were truly an international affair with high profile speakers presenting inspirational case studies from across the globe.

Pioneering European manufacturers including; Wiehag, MM Holz, Mathis, Hess Timber and Wehmeyer, presented informative case studies at Solid Wood Solutions, showcasing iconic buildings and structures from around the world, including the Ice Mall in Eilat, the French Patents Office in Paris, the Anaklia Pedestrian Bridge in Georgia and the Inzell Speed Skating Stadium, Germany.

The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA), its 260 plus member companies and the 15,000 people they employ in Scotland are set to benefit from a new initiative introduced by the SPOA committee and funded with £50K from industry body CITB Construction Skills.

The ‘Qualifying the Workforce’ project will see a SPOA representative work with officials and other industry bodies to set and raise standards of competence for plant operators, plant mechanics (fitters) and other occupations directly related to plant and equipment.

If plant and machinery constitutes the ‘big boys’ toys’ of the construction industry, then among the most impressive of those are the huge tunnelling machines employed to construct major infrastructure projects.

They are rarely seen, but now Crossrail has released pictures of what it describes as the ‘London tunnelling marathon' underway beneath the capital.

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) will be organising a brand new skills initiative at the PLANTWORX 2013 show at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, the new biennial exhibition which takes place on 14-16 May. The Training and Education Zone is aimed at raising the awareness of the skills shortage across the construction equipment sector and promoting the colleges across the UK which offer various construction plant courses.

The show will also see the CPA hosting the presentation ceremony for the winners of the Stars of the Future plant mechanic apprenticeship competition, in conjunction with 16 colleges nationwide.

With the first exhibition scheduled for May 2013, this biennial event is set to become the major UK event for construction, a dedicated working machinery show for all construction professionals.

With more than 100,000 sqm of live construction equipment PLANTWORX will be the largest UK event featuring construction applications and working machinery. A huge product showcase for all construction manufacturers and suppliers.