Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Ireland Construction News Archive for February 2010
26/02/2010
A tribute has been paid to modern construction methods being employed on key projects across Northern Ireland. Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson was speaking as he toured the site of the £75m Obel project at Donegall Quay in Belfast. The building, situated beside the M3 flyover, will be the
26/02/2010
Consultancy firm WYG has expressed worries over recent findings on the Northern Ireland Planning Service. A recent report by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee has branded the service "not fit for purpose". David Donaldson, a planning director from WYG, is concerned with the
26/02/2010
Irish Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey has announced details of the Government’s €411m investment programme in the regional and local roads network for 2010. The overall allocation represents an average investment of €34m per month on Ireland’s regional and local roads. Speaking about the inv
26/02/2010
Planning decisions In Northern Ireland are to be passed into local hands if the Stormont Minister reponsible for the issue gets his way. Long sought by many members of the existing 26 local councils who currently have only an advisory role in such decisions, the DUP's Edwin Poots said the changes w
26/02/2010
The US Consul General paid a recent visit to the University of Ulster’s Magee campus and was briefed on major expansion plans for the site. Professor Deirdre Heenan, Dean of Academic Development at Magee, briefed Belfast-based Kamala Lakhdhir and her deputy, Kevin Roland, on the plans for the Derry
26/02/2010
The University of Ulster, with help from an Irish rock star, is giving students the chance to design the home of the future - a self-sustainable house made entirely of sustainable materials. With the support of Invest NI and Biotecture Ireland Ltd, a new green development association called the '
26/02/2010
An Irish-based, online auction portal has changed the duration of its auctions from seven days to three. The Mr Machinery website is a "low-cost, user-friendly" way to buy and sell all types of heavy equipment. "Mr Machinery certified auctions have an attractive starting price, responding to the n
26/02/2010
A Co Antrim man has been fined £750 at Lisburn Magistrates' Court for non-compliance with a Planning Service Submission Notice Charles Finnegan of Hannastown Hill, Belfast, failed to submit a retrospective planning application for the retention of infill material which had been deposited illegally
25/02/2010
One of the world's most influential people in the construction sector has made a visit to consultancy firm, WYG Ireland during a short stay in Northern Ireland. Professor Li Shirong, the first female and first international president in the 175-year history of the Chartered Institute of Building (C
25/02/2010
The Department of Education has sanctioned the opening of a new Educate Together primary school in Swords, Co Dublin from September 2010. The announcement brings to an end a two-year campaign to get the green light from the government to open such a facility. Educate Together is a representative o
25/02/2010
Two leading Irish property developers are valuing property asserts at one of their companies at 2006 levels, according to a newspaper report. Bernard McNamara and Jerry O’Reilly have said the valuation of assets at Belltrap Ltd is "appropriate" despite the economic downturn in the construction sect
25/02/2010
The redevelopment of supermarket giant Tesco's Lisnagelvin store could create as many as 300 construction jobs - if planners agree their proposals. Plans for a new £40m flagship Tesco superstore - that could also create 200 new retail jobs in Londonderry - will go on public display at Lisnagelvin S
25/02/2010
Northern Ireland Environment Minister Edwin Poots has said the way is now clear for a number of major retail developments in Craigavon, Co Armagh to move forward. The Minister was speaking following the withdrawal by Irwin Glenbank Ltd of a number of judicial reviews taken against the Craigavon Tow
25/02/2010
The number of second-hand properties in Ireland that were 'sale agreed' in January has rose significantly, according to a property website. MyHome.ie said the figures had trebled compared to the same period in 2009. The website also said there had been a consistent month-on-month increase in the n
25/02/2010
Construction professionals from across the world will watch how steel beams used in modern office buildings react in a burning inferno, in the first fire test of its kind, staged by the University of Ulster this week. Experts from the Institute of Fire Safety Engineering Research Technology (FireS
25/02/2010
Irish Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has been asked to invest some of the revenue generated by the €10 air travel tax into the development of an international cargo hub at Shannon Airport. The Mid-West Regional Authority (MWRA) and Mayors of the Region’s four local authorities met Minister Dem
24/02/2010
Too many one-off houses are still being built in the countryside, according to the President of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI). Gerry Sheeran said the issue persisted despite new guidelines on sustainable rural housing being introduced in 2005 Speaking at the recent presentation of the IPI Nat
24/02/2010
A local construction business has been celebrating a successful initiative to reduce costs and increase profits. Most of the savings achieved by Ballymena's Moore Concrete to date have been through improving working practices on the factory floor as well as to evaluate and implement necessary chang
24/02/2010
Belfast-based developer Deramore Property Group has been awarded the construction contract on a £35m hotel development on Edinburgh's iconic Princes Street. Deramore has signed-up Gilbert Ash contractors for the construction contract for the development which involves the partial demolition of exis
24/02/2010
SDLP Regional Development spokesperson, Tommy Gallagher has said he is very concerned that a lack of finance is forcing the NI Department of Regional Development to give up on its own very limited targets for minor roads maintenance. "The standard road maintenance guidelines used by the Department
24/02/2010
The founder of leading Northern Ireland engineering firm, FG Wilson has died at the age of 84. Fred Wilson founded the company in 1966, starting with just six employees. The Larne-based firm grew into one of the world’s biggest suppliers of electrical generators. Mr Wilson sold the company in 199
24/02/2010
Northern Ireland Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson has announced the reappointment of Professor Peter Matthews as Chairman of the Board of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (the Utility Regulator). Professor Matthews has been reappointed for a further two years effective from 1 Apr
24/02/2010
The iconic Sydenham Bypass is to be upgraded. The NI Transport Minister, Conor Murphy has announced the improvements to the A2 Sydenham Bypass, in east Belfast. The Minister confirmed that on line widening of the existing Sydenham Bypass is the preferred option. Public information events will be
24/02/2010
NI Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has welcomed the publication of a report into public procurement policy and practice in Northern Ireland. The report has been published by the Assembly's Finance and Personnel committee and was debated yesterday in the Assembly. Welcoming the report, the Minister s
23/02/2010
World-leading architect Daniel Libeskind will chair a design competition for the former Andersonstown barracks site in west Belfast. NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced that Mr Libeskind, an American architect, artist, and set designer will be lending his professional expe
23/02/2010
The number of rental contracts agreed for school 'prefabs' was slashed last year to just 20 compared to 266 the year before, according to the Irish Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe. In 2007, 715 new prefabricated building contracts were agreed between suppliers and school boards of
23/02/2010
A successful construction contract was marked this week with a new training centre opening. Irish Minister for Lifelong Learning, Seán Haughey has officially opened the new Vocational Training Opportunities (VTOS) Centre in Carlow Town. VTOS was the first full-time Further Education programme for
23/02/2010
A peer-nominated Oversight Committee of wood fuel suppliers has launched the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance (WFQA) scheme in Ireland. The scheme was officially launched at the recent IrBEA/Teagasc Annual Conference at the Tipperary Institute in Thurles. The scheme involves the publication of a Nati
23/02/2010
NI Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has confirmed a number of appointments to the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee (NIBRAC). The appointments are for a three-year term and took effect last week. In addition to the 17 appointments, Kenneth Hunter is being appointed Chairman of
23/02/2010
Five children of a prominent Irish senator have secured judgement orders for more than €7.3m against a developer over his failure to repay loans provided as part of north Dublin development. Members of Senator Feargal Quinn's family - Donal Quinn, Zoe Quinn, Gilliane Quinn, Stephen Quinn and Eamonn
23/02/2010
Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has reinforced the country as a strong proposition to potential investors. The Minister attended yesterday's Global Investment Conference in London, a gathering of some 240 Chief Executive level business representatives from the UK and overseas.
23/02/2010
As the slowdown within the construction industry continues, a leading training organisation has claimed more and more people are choosing the security industry as their chosen career path. SEEK Academy offers "flexible, online delivery to security training" to those interested in gaining a license
22/02/2010
NI Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie is to extend the consultation period on plans for the regeneration of five deprived areas of Belfast. The two-week extension has been granted in order to afford local organisations more time to put forward their views on the concept plans for phy
22/02/2010
New figures from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) have revealed that over 100,000 Irish homes have had Building Energy Ratings (BERs) completed to date. The majority of the ratings were completed since January 2009, the first year for full implementation of the BER scheme. Introduced in 2007 as p
22/02/2010
A rural new innovation and technology centre is spearheading new sustainable construction techniques. The InnoTech Centre has been set up by South West College which is to support its training for the building and construction industry. At a seminar, 'Opportunities for Sustainable Construction' he
22/02/2010
Many hundreds of construction workers joined the dole queue in Northern Ireland over the last three months. Industry representatives have said that over 1,300 builders, carpenters, electricians and other labourers were laid off during the most recent months, with the total jobs lost in the downturn
22/02/2010
NI Environment Minister, Edwin Poots has claimed it is "incredibly difficult" to sack civil servants, following a question he was asked about a recent critical report on the Planning Service. The service was recently slated for consistently failing to meet its targets. Speaking to BBC Radio Ulste
22/02/2010
New research, published by the EPA, shows how economic forecasts can be used to project waste generation and emissions of pollutants across Ireland. The ISus (Irish Sustainable Development) Model is based on the work of a three-year study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), funde
22/02/2010
The Irish Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív, will re-open the historical head-office of Conradh na Gaeilge in Dublin tomorrow following recent repairs. Some of the most important figures involved in the 1916 Easter Rising had connections with the Conradh and with th
22/02/2010
A Co Armagh father and his son have been fined a total of £300 at Armagh Magistrates' Court for failing to comply with a Planning Service Enforcement Notice. John Mervyn Winter and his son Jonathan Mervyn Winter of Derrycrew Road, Loughgall pleaded guilty to non-compliance of the Enforcement Notice
19/02/2010
NI Environment Minister Edwin Poots today opened the 2010 SelfBuild Show at the King's Hall, Belfast. Speaking at the opening, Minister Poots remarked on how the event had grown over the years. He said: "I am very impressed with the SelfBuild Show and how it has gone from strength to strength ove
19/02/2010
The Ireland Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI) is calling on the Government to prioritise project management in planning economic recovery. In a statement, the organisation said that in times of grave economic challenge, Ireland cannot afford anything less than excellent management
19/02/2010
The Labour Court in Dublin will today consider an application from the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) to increase the hourly rate for electricians by €1.05. This follows a non-binding recommendation from another division of the same Court to apply this increase to settle last Jul
19/02/2010
Cork City Council has completed the installation of lighting on the Water Tower in Knocknaheeny, on the northside of Cork. City Manager, Joe Gavin said: "The investment puts an emphasis on a significant asset associated with water distribution and supply which can be appreciated in th
19/02/2010
Despite the tightening public expenditure position, the Northern Ireland Executive has said it is on track to deliver £4.6m per day of capital investment in 2009-2010. Finance Minister Sammy Wilson revealed the figure during a visit to the 'Belfast Streets Ahead', Public Realm Project to assess rec
19/02/2010
A £35m plan to build two new schools on the site of a former army base in Londonderry has been revealed. Northern Ireland Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, and Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane, have formally transferred the lands in Derry. Work on the new Foyle and Londonderry College an
19/02/2010
As the slowdown within the construction industry continues, a leading training organisation has claimed more and more people are choosing the security industry as their chosen career path. SEEK Academy offers "flexible, online delivery to security training" to those interested in gaining a license
19/02/2010
NI Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has announced that the rating of empty commercial properties will remain frozen at 50%. The 50% level for the rating of empty commercial premises was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2004, and the Minister’s decision follows an evaluation of the scheme by his Depar
18/02/2010
RPS has received the Zurich LAMA Award for their Mulroy Bay Bridge, winner of the Best Civil Engineering Project in Ireland. The Award was accepted by RPS chartered engineers Tony Magee, Kenny Mason, and Peter Fitzgerald at the Award Ceremony and gala event, hosted by RTE television presenter Miria
18/02/2010
The applications system used by the Northern Ireland Planning Service is "not fit for purpose", a new report has found. Following a review of the service, the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee has said it had "consistently failed" to meet targets, the BBC reports. According to Committee chairma
18/02/2010
Construction jobs are in doubt as plans to build a £7.6m sports centre at the University of Ulster's Coleraine campus look likely to be scrapped due to government cuts, according to a lecturer's union. The University and College Union (UCU) claims the centre is the most likely casualty of the unive
18/02/2010
Irish renewable energy firm, Gaelectric, has received planning approval to build a 14 Megawatt (MW) wind farm in Co Antrim. The facility will consist of six wind turbines and will be capable of generating energy equivalent to the average electricity consumption of approximately 8,200 homes on an a
18/02/2010
A former army base, at Clooney, near Londonderry is to be transformed into a high quality educational campus. Construction jobs by the hundred are set to follow today's announcement made by NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie and Education Minister Caitríona Ruane as they marked the tr
18/02/2010
A project that will create hundreds of temporary construction jobs in the North West look set to come to fruition soon. Tesco's new superstore planned for Lisnagelvin in the Waterside will cost around £50m and also create 200 extra jobs on top of those in the building project. DUP Alderman William
18/02/2010
One of two new 'ground-breaking' Orange Order projects to build interpretive facilities has moved a step closer to being realised The Planning Service has approved the plan for Loughall, Co. Armagh - which is founding place of the main loyal order, Orangeism. Planning permission had already been
18/02/2010
NI Minister for the Environment Edwin Poots and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster have made a joint visit to Londonderry to inspect two conservation schemes which were recently commenced as part of the Walled City Signature Project. The schemes at St Columb's Cathedral an
17/02/2010
A Co Tyrone firm has completed the construction of a new four-storey medical admissions unit at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital. Coalisland company, Western Building Systems completed the €1m job in under 12 months, with work going ahead in the middle of a live fire tender route which had to be kept cle
17/02/2010
A Co Mayo couple have been awarded €310,000 in damages arising from defects incurred during the construction of their home. Graham and Sharon Mussett sued Alan Piper, trading as Alan Piper Developments over the defects and engineer James Maloney, of James Maloney and Associates, over alleged neglig
17/02/2010
Cork City Council has signed a €900,000 contract with design consultants to prepare detailed plans for the public areas of Cork Docklands. A consortium of consultants, headed by Mitchell + Associates Landscape Architects, will prepare designs for amenity areas along the north and south quays, the p
17/02/2010
A 12 month suspended sentence has been handed down to a former employee of Clare County Council as a result of serious breaches of health and safety legislation. Michael Scully, who is now retired, received the verdict from Judge Gerard Griffin at the Ennis Circuit Criminal Court today. Fines tota
17/02/2010
NI Energy Minister, Arlene Foster has launched the 'Big Change' gas safety awareness campaign in Belfast, today. The campaign is aimed at helping all 150,000 gas consumers in Northern Ireland better understand the switch over from the CORGI to the Gas Safe Register scheme for gas installers. The
17/02/2010
Irish Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe has announced details of 52 school building projects which can go to tender and construction as part of the Government’s €579 million school building programme. Of these, 25 major school building projects that have planning permission will mov
17/02/2010
Shell Ireland has been allocated a further €80m to compete works that will allow gas to be taken from the Corrib gas field. The boost to Shell E&P Ireland has received the cash injection from its parent company, reports the Irish Independent. The funding represents a 23% increase in the company's
17/02/2010
The Planning Service in Northern Ireland has recently received an award for innovation and imagination in modernising planning processes. The Royal Town Planning Institute (RPTI) award was achieved for the recently introduced Streamlined Consultation Scheme, which has been agreed with all 26 local
16/02/2010
Work is expected to begin this summer on a new national film school in Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) near Dublin. The new 1,315sq/m film school will accommodate 385 students and is expected to take a year to complete the project. The Irish Minster for Education and S
16/02/2010
Construction work on the new South West Hospital in Enniskillen and new Health and Wellbeing Centres that are underway in west Belfast were yesterday highlighted as two examples of success by the NI Executive. Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has used these projects to attack those who have criticised
16/02/2010
European Parliamentarian Pat the Cope Gallagher has called comments from the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) "reckless diatribe and unfounded myths". The Cope's response came after the president of the IPI, at an awards ceremony in Dublin, said unsustainable proliferation of one-off houses was "unde
16/02/2010
Two men have been convicted at Newry Magistrates' Court for non-compliance with Planning Service Submission Notices. Sean Hoey of Slatequarry Road, Newry was fined £200 and ordered to pay £102 costs for failing to comply with a Submission Notice, which required him to submit a planning application
16/02/2010
The Belfast High Court has dismissed a case taken against a property company by a buyer seeking to reclaim the deposit he had put down on an apartment. The verdict came down on the side of Big Picture Developments, the company behind the Bakery apartments on the Ormeau road in the south of the city
16/02/2010
Young people and the housing sector in Northern Ireland, England and Wales and are set to benefit from a new Housing Apprenticeship being introduced by the Government. The qualification, due to be launched in the autumn, will provide new opportunities for young people to develop careers as housing
16/02/2010
Shoppers and businesses in Belfast city centre may soon see benefits as a famous old street that once led from west Belfast into the city centre looks likely to be reopened. A group called the Forum for Alternative Belfast is currently lobbying business owners with ideas which would make Bank Squar
16/02/2010
A Carryduff man has been fined £1,000 along with £75 court costs and £13 legal costs at Newtownards Magistrates' Court today for a planning offence. Stephen Hewitt of Ballykeel Road South, Carryduff, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a Planning Service Enforcement Notice to remove an unautho
15/02/2010
The tragic death of a Monaghan woman who fell into an unprotected light well was recalled last week in court. The construction company involved was fined €10,000 for a breach of legislation after the elderly woman died when she fell off an un-protected wall at Gallagher's Hotel, Letterkenny. Hughi
15/02/2010
It's to be petrol nozzles at dawn as independent retailers battle Tesco in 'forecourt wars'. The redevelopment of Northcott Shopping Centre in Newtownabbey - by Blanca Developments was given the go-ahead through the fast-stream Planning Service's Pre-Application Discussion (PADs) system in December
15/02/2010
The BER (Building Energy Rating) Assessors Association of Ireland will hold its AGM and a series of workshops in Dublin this Friday. The events will take place at the city’s Red Cow Moran Hotel, Dublin. Workshops will be hosted by the likes of Sustainable Energy Ireland, Drayton, Aeroboard and Sys
15/02/2010
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emer Costello has accepted the Irish Planning Institute overall Planning Achievement Award for 2010. The award was presented to the City Council for the Phibsborogh/Mountjoy Local Area Plan, which was prepared jointly by the City Council and consultants Paul Keogh Architec
15/02/2010
Around 9000 jobs have been lost in the construction industry in Cork over the last 12 months, new figures have revealed. The report, by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), estimates that these job losses were initially confined to the house-building sector, but have now spread to all areas
15/02/2010
NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has cut the first sod for a new housing scheme in Co Down for people with dementia. The £3m Downpatrick development by Trinity Housing Association is in partnership with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. The scheme will provide 12 two-
15/02/2010
The amount of money being spent on new school building projects is in focus this week as a call to review the criteria for capital programmes is made. North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey has called on Stormont Minister Caitriona Ruane to publish immediately the criteria under which she is reviewing
15/02/2010
NI Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, has announced the start of a consultation week on designs for a renewed Bank Square in Belfast City Centre. The draft proposals have been developed by RPS Planning and Environment Ltd on behalf of the Department for Social Development (DSD). The con
12/02/2010
A member of the Northern Ireland Assembly's Environment Committee has called for an investigation into the approval of an application to build up to 400 homes at Knock Golf Club. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the SDLP's John Dallat has also called on the Planning Service to defer the decision
12/02/2010
A site manager for a Co Down building firm has scooped the National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job National Supreme Award. Philip McCullough of Dunlop Homes beat off competition from 13,000 entrants to take the title in the small builder category. Mr McCullough won the award for h
12/02/2010
A Co Tyrone couple were today each fined £250 plus legal costs of £75 and court costs of £26 at Strabane Magistrates' Court for further non-compliance with a Planning Service Enforcement Notice. Francis Wray and Noleen Wray of Scotstown Road, Clady, were charged with the unauthorised erection of sh
12/02/2010
Insurance company, Generali PanEurope is to build new headquarters in Navan, Co Meath. The company – part of the Italian-based Generali Group – has had a presence in Navan since being established there in 1999. The new building is to be located in the IDA Navan Business Park and will also act as t
12/02/2010
Car rental giant, Hertz is to expand its European Shared Services Centre in Dublin with the creation of up to 100 new jobs. The increased capacity of the Shared Services Centre will see the transformation of the company’s existing Dublin operations to include support elements in the areas of human
12/02/2010
Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has held discussions with the Utility Regulator to consider how NI Water can improve its services. The meeting with the Regulator, Iain Osborne and Utility Authority Chairman, Professor Peter Matthews focused on the recent publication of the NI Water and Sewer
12/02/2010
A Co Down builder has been fined a total of £1,200 (plus £52 costs) at Banbridge Magistrates' court for illegal dumping of waste. John Declan Walker of Crossgar Road, Dromara, pleaded guilty to one charge of illegally depositing waste and two charges of keeping waste without a licence. Officers fr
12/02/2010
As climate change plays havoc with our weather, many of us will be looking forward to spring and we could be forgiven for dreaming of jetting abroad to enjoy at least a couple of weeks of sunshine later in the year. This winter has been the coldest in over 50 years and many householders are likely t
11/02/2010
The civil engineering arm of Northern Ireland business McLaughlin & Harvey has emerged as the preferred bidder to build a new 28-acre Scottish port in a £200m contract worth around £50m to the Mallusk-based business. The new port is to be built on Scotland's Loch Ryan and will service the Stena Lin
11/02/2010
The work force at a leading Irish building merchant has raised €1780 for the Galway Hospice as part of the Together campaign to support Help the Hospices. Staff at JP Corry's Gort branch held a Jersey Day, which involved spending the day wearing the jersey of the sports team they disliked the most.
11/02/2010
A monument in Carlow Town commemorating the United Irishmens' Rebellion of 1798 is to be sold to a developer. Dolmen Estates Ltd has confirmed that the fountain structure will remain intact, according to the Carlow People. However, there remains a possibility of the monument being moved to another
11/02/2010
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is to extend and refurbish one of its Co Antrim stores. An application to carry out the work at the store at the Braidwater retail park in Ballymena has been approved by planners. The decision was announced at a recent council meeting in the area. As part of the refu
11/02/2010
Consultants responsible for drawing up the much-debated Carrickfergus development 'Masterplan' to regenerate the seaside town will be paid £70,000 for their work. It has been revealed that consultants from the Paul Hogarth Company have been working on the plan for almost a year. The company speci
11/02/2010
Over £1.3m is to be spent upgrading facilities at a Co Antrim seaside park. Newtownabbey Borough Council has committed just over half (£672,658) of the total cost involved to improve Loughshore Park in Jordanstown, and the surrounded area, the Newtownabbey Times reported this week. The Northern Ir
11/02/2010
NI Roads Minister, Conor Murphy, recently joined Roads Service staff to assess the effects of natural erosion and the recent extreme weather on the A2 Coast Road in Co. Antrim. A number of road closures have been reported in recent months due to damage caused to the rock faces, slopes and sea-defen
11/02/2010
Northern Ireland Roads Minister Conor Murphy has today inspected operations at the salt mines at Kilroot, Carrickfergus. The Co. Antrim Salt Mines, which are owned by Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Ltd, produce the rock salt used by Roads Service to salt the road network during its annual winter
10/02/2010
The Irish Waste Management Association has lodged a complaint about the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg, calling Dublin City Council’s contract for the facility "anti-competitive and illegal". The complaint was lodged with the Competition Authority and is now under investigation. The Association c
10/02/2010
There has been a fatal accident at a sewage treatment works near Ballymena. The victim, thought to be in his 40s, died in the incident at the Northern Ireland Water facility on Monday afternoon A police spokesman told the news website, www.4ni.co.uk, that the PSNI was not treating the incident as
10/02/2010
Eight contractors from a shortlist of over 40 have collected detailed drawings and documents from Dublin City Council with a view to tendering to build Phase 1a of the St. Michael's Estate Regeneration scheme. This phase consists of 75 residential units along with a Housing Management Estate Office
10/02/2010
Irish Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan has announced that D&B, formerly known as Dun & Bradstreet, is to establish a business operations centre in Dublin. The company is one of the world’s leading suppliers of business information. The move is being facilit
10/02/2010
Ulster Unionist North Antrim MLA, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, has welcomed the provision of grants worth up to £500,000 for a low carbon project in Ballymena, Co. Antrim. "This funding, provided to support green technologies such as solar panels, hydro turbines and energy saving insulation, will enable
10/02/2010
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has met over 300 listed building owners to discuss saving energy in historic buildings. The Owners' Forum is one of several key initiatives announced by a previous Environment Minister, Arlene Foster. The forum will give owners a chance to raise issue
10/02/2010
NI Culture Minister, Nelson McCausland has launched the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) Development Plan for 2010-2012. The Minister said: "We must always strive for excellence in our architecture. Great buildings are not only attractive to look at, they are functional places where people
10/02/2010
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has signed a €6.3m contract with construction firm BAM to build a new generation Mental Health Residential Unit for Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. According to the HSE, the new unit will incorporate HIQA Guidelines based on the principle that people with disabilities in
09/02/2010
Around 200 new - affordable - homes are to be built on the site of a former military barracks in north Belfast. Northern Ireland Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, made the announcement during the SDLP's annual conference, which was held in Newcastle, Co Down recently. The Girdwood Bar
09/02/2010
A Kildare-based modular building company has been awarded the contract to provide construction project offices for Sisk in the €130m redevelopment project for Dublin’s Mater Hospital. The €250,000 project was awarded to RoanKabin, a firm which has supplied buildings to contractor Sisk for over 2
09/02/2010
A Co Londonderry politician has supported a call to begin a huge construction project to re-open the long neglected Ulster Canal. East Derry Sinn Féin MLA, Billy Leonard has tabled a debate for the Assembly today calling on the Culture Minister, the DUP's Nelson McCausland to "show some vision" and
09/02/2010
A property owner and a company were this week fined a total of £21,000 for demolishing a number of buildings after a Building Preservation Notice had been served. Keith George Trotter, owner of the Former Market Yard, Main Street, Fivemiletown, pleaded guilty for allowing the demolition of the buil
09/02/2010
Some 250 homes could be provided on the former St Patrick's Barracks site in Ballymena, NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has said. Ms Ritchie said the Fold Housing Association is in negotiations to buy 47 former army houses on the site. She added that the Housing Executive is inte
09/02/2010
A Co Tyrone building firm and a company director have been fined a total of £6,000 at Dungannon Magistrates' court for illegal waste offences. Barahaven Construction Limited in Coalisland pleaded guilty to one charge of keeping waste and one charge of failure to comply with Hazardous Waste Regulati
09/02/2010
NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has said she is committed to addressing rural demand for high-speed broadband services. The Minister was speaking as she announced the successful completion of the first two projects supported under the £1.9m Broadband Fund, which have been delivered by North We
09/02/2010
An application to restore the former Tidy Doffer site in Ravarnet, near Lisburn, which was destroyed in an accidental blaze early 2008, has been approved by Planning Service. It is thought a spark from an open fire started the fire in the iconic pub, which was famous for the looms and other histor
09/02/2010
Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has announced that its Group Finance Director, Bernard Byrne and its Director of ESB Energy International, Michael McNicholas are to leave the company to take up positions in the private sector. The Irish electricity utility will shortly place advertisements to fill
09/02/2010
NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has welcomed a major planning prize for the Victoria Square Regeneration Scheme. The Department for Social Development (DSD) and BDP were awarded the Silver Jubilee Cup, the UK’s top planning prize, at the 2009 Royal Town Planning Institute (RPTI) awa
08/02/2010
Construction work on Dublin's M50 motorway come a step closer to conclusion this morning with the opening of the third lane in both directions between Junction 10 at Ballymount and Junction 14 at Sandyford. However, motorists face the possibility of a rise in toll rates in the summer due to a chang
08/02/2010
Planners have given the green light to a new Sainsbury's store in Bangor. Jobs in the beleaguered construction sector will follow the decision, which involves the demolition of existing buildings, the construction of a new retail store and extension of the existing retail warehouse It is the eight
08/02/2010
The Irish Government has been accused of reneging on commitments to regenerate parts of Limerick city, according to a newspaper report. The commitments were made in a €3 billion public-private programme to redevelop the area. However, Fine Gael’s Limerick East TD, Kieran O’Donnell has labelled the
08/02/2010
The Catholic Church has said it will foot the bill to repair St Mel's Cathedral in Longford, which was extensively damaged in a fire on Christmas Day last year. Estimations have suggested that the cost of construction work on the repairs would be between €2m and €8m. However, Bishop of Ardagh and
08/02/2010
A controversial former Co Antrim prison facility is to be further protected. The Maze Prison buildings are to keep their listed status, Northern Ireland Environment Minister, Edwin Poots has announced. Last year, Mr Poots' predecessor Sammy Wilson asked officials for permission to revoke the liste
08/02/2010
A stately home in Co Wicklow has been badly damaged in a fire. Fire crews were called out to Russborough House, near Blessington at around 9.30pm on Sunday evening. The crews fought for three hours to bring the blaze under control. The west wing of the building has reportedly suffered severe dam
08/02/2010
Years of construction work have paid off as more than 200,000 people have now visited the revamped Ulster Museum since it reopened. That makes it the busiest visitor attraction in Northern Ireland, according to the Director of National Museums Northern Ireland, Tim Cooke, who said: "It's great to s
08/02/2010
Members of the public in Co Clare are being urged to provide input on the finalising of a seven-year strategy outlining the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. A public information and consultation session relating to the Draft Clare County Development Plan 2011-2017 will take
05/02/2010
The Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS) has predicted that a further 40,000 construction jobs could in 2010 unless the Government provide a stimulus package. SCS President, Ken Cribben told the audience at the society's annual dinner in Dublin last night that these job losses could be avoided if t
05/02/2010
An Irish company that designs turbines capable of converting wave power into electricity, has signed a major US development deal. Ocean Energy has agreed a deal with multi-billion dollar US multinational, Dresser-Rand. The Irish company's Chief Executive Officer, John McCarthy said the agreement w
05/02/2010
An initiative designed to enhance the twin villages of Pettigo in Co Donegal and Tullyhommon in Co Fermanagh has been approved. The €8.3m Termon regeneration project, funded by the European Union's PEACE III Programme, will encourage increased cross-community integration through the re-developmen
05/02/2010
A Co Tyrone man was today given a suspended prison sentence at Enniskillen Crown Court after pleading guilty to illegal waste offences. Patrick Sherry from, Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, was given a three months prison sentence, suspended for one year, for two offences under the Waste and Contaminated Lan
05/02/2010
Irish Minister of State, Tony Killeen has confirmed that capital funding has been approved for four housing projects in Ennis and the West Clare communities of Tullycreen and Knockadereen, located between Kilrush and Kilmihil. Mr Killeen said the capital investment would provide some 22 units of ac
05/02/2010
Belfast's groundbreaking Victoria Square has been awarded the UK's top planning prize. The regeneration project scooped the Silver Jubilee Cup in a ceremony celebrating the best planning projects across the UK and Ireland. Bob Neill, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government and Deputy
05/02/2010
A fresh bid to construct new houses on the site currently occupied by a busy Co Antrim meat processor won't put jobs in jeopardy. Cullybackey's pork processing factory was dramatically saved from closure a year ago, after a planning application to demolish the former Stevenson and Co plant at Fenag
05/02/2010
A new survey has suggested the Northern Ireland housing market showed modest signs of recovery in the last quarter of 2009. The report, by the University of Ulster and the Bank of Ireland, reveals that the average price over a house in Northern Ireland was £161,429 in the last three months of 2009.
04/02/2010
An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of Dublin's Tara Street Station. Iarnórd Éireann will now press ahead with its plans to build a 50-metre skyscraper in the heart of the city. Plans for the facility, which will include a 12-storey station as well as 13,000 squa
04/02/2010
Plans for a major redevelopment of Dairy Farm Shopping Centre in Dunmurry, Co Antrim have been approved. NI Environment Minister, Edwin Poots said: "This is a welcome investment boost for the area providing 200 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs on completion. The new development will see the
04/02/2010
The company behind Waterford Crystal has announced plans to build a new manufacturing plant and visitor centre in Waterford city. WWRD Group Holdings Limited also operates the Wedgwood and Royal Doulton brands. The new Waterford Crystal Prestige Manufacturing Facility is scheduled to open in June
04/02/2010
There has been a dramatic intervention into proposed cost cutting at NI's main water provider. Just hours after the Utility Regulator - an independent body which regulates water and sewerage services - targeted revenue savings of £91m at the statutory body, NI Water, the Stormont Regional Developme
04/02/2010
The number of new companies being formed in the Irish construction industry has been decreasing consistently every quarter since the start of 2009, new figures have revealed. However, the latest statistics released by ICC Formations suggest that the overall economic downturn may be easing somewhat
04/02/2010
A unique exhibition revealing aspects of Belfast architecture normally 'hidden' from the world opens this week. The Secret Laboratory, curated and co-designed by Paul Clarke, Course Director of the Master of Architecture at the University of Ulster, brings together a series of private reflections
04/02/2010
Lottery funding is helping to pay for important building restoration being carried out in Armagh. Undertaken by Harry Elliott Construction, and by the architects firm of Leighton Johnston Associates, it is part of a restoration project at 5 Vicars' Hill in Armagh. The project, funded by the Herita
04/02/2010
Opposition is growing to the plans for a by-pass road around Ballynure in Co Antrim as part of the proposed A8 dualling project. Those against the scheme have aired their concerns with local Green Party representatives, the Antrim Greens, at a meeting in late January. Those objecting to the new ro
04/02/2010
The property developer at a large Scottish garden centre chain has welcomed the 'green light' for a plan to build in Northern Ireland. The NI Planning Service has approved plans for a new garden centre complex in Lisburn. Scottish firm Dobbies Garden Centres said it would now move ahead with const
03/02/2010
Unnamed developers in Cork owe the local council over €14m, a newspaper has revealed. Despite repeated appeals to do so, Cork County Manager, Martin Riordan has refused to name the developers, according to the Corkman report. "It's our intention to collect the charges, even though it might take lo
03/02/2010
Part of the former Liddell's Mill complex in Donaghcloney, Co Down has been 'spot listed' by the application of a Building Preservation Notice (BPN) The Mill complex is the oldest industrial site in Donaghcloney, dating from the eighteenth century, and has been the centre of village life from its
03/02/2010
Supermarket giant, Tesco has begun work on the construction of a new petrol station at Drogheda Retain Park. The station is the chain's first in the north-east. Upon completion, the project will create 15 jobs within the 24-hour forecourt, which is being built close to the entrance of the retail p
03/02/2010
A Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown village is to benefit from a new 'village centre' after the local council gave the go-ahead to proposals. The Kilternan project will also see the construction of a number of commercial and residential buildings, along with a new car park. The plans for the new centre, whic
03/02/2010
The Quinn Group has entered discussions with banks in relation to the €780m of bank and bond debt due this year, the Irish Times has reported. The Fermanagh-based building group is looking to renew the borrowings, which includes €700m of bank debt and €80m of bonds. According to the report, howeve
03/02/2010
NI Water has been told it must make dramatic spending cuts over the next three years. Just weeks after the launch of a six-year plan to improve the quality of water in Northern Ireland's rivers, the Utility Regulator - an independent body which regulates water and sewerage services - has targeted r
03/02/2010
A tidal energy company has been handed a £2.7m grant to support the enhancement of one of the world's largest tidal energy systems, which is based in Co Down. SeaGen, the world's largest and so far only megawatt scale grid-connected tidal current energy system, has been supplying electricity to cus
03/02/2010
Work on the construction of an €80m shopping centre in Balbriggan, north Dublin is at an advanced stage, according to a newspaper report. The Millfield Shopping Centre is due to open for business early next year, according to the Irish Times. The project will encompass a total retail area of 17,00
02/02/2010
The NI architect behind the new Croke Park design is to enjoy local honours. Des McMahon is to be officially recognised this month as a special GAA function when club and county players and top GAA officials will gather to mark the architect's contribution to the Dublin venue's rebirth. The Beragh
02/02/2010
Planners have helped a major supermarket chain tie-up the last of its 'loose-ends' to complete the process for a showcase new store. Asda was back at Ballymena's County Hall last week to complete paperwork surrounding last minute changes to its new Antrim store, which is already underway. The cons
02/02/2010
CPI has announced the passing of the SBI Burn Test EN 13823 of its E:zero E500 open-cell insulation foam. The foam achieved "excellent" SBI test values, especially with regard to very limited smoke development, zero burning droplets, and overall good resistance to extreme heat. Copies of the certi
02/02/2010
The Irish Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe is to ask for a report into the construction of a residence for the president of the University of Limerick. The university has said that no taxpayers' money was spent on the new, €1.1m home for Professor Don Barry, with funding coming from "philanthr
02/02/2010
Councillors in Dublin have given the green light for a €10m cycle route in the city. The 4.6km track will be built along Dublin’s Grand Canal and Docklands. The project will see four cycle and pedestrian bridges being constructed as well as a boardwalk on the approach to Leeson Street in the city.
02/02/2010
The importance of engineering skills to the NI economy has been highlighted. Stormont Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has just launched Engineers Week 2010. At Victoria College, Belfast, the Minister said: "I am honoured to have been asked to launch Engineers Week 2010. Engineering is at the
02/02/2010
Irish Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher has today officially opened the Texas Instruments Cork Ltd. Power Design Center. The company moved in to the centre – an engineering research and development office – last year. Texas Instruments, a global semi-conductor company, created the fa
02/02/2010
A major extension to Bluestone Business Park in Brownlow, Craigavon has been opened. NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie was at Brownlow Ltd, a community regeneration group, which has just completed a major expansion, providing nine new business units. The move aims to "cultivate entr
01/02/2010
An investment of £70m is expected to eventually create 400 extra prison places in Northern Ireland. This will take place over the coming three years and has already been hailed a success at the completion of the first part of ongoing building work. The new facility at Braid House already means tha
01/02/2010
Judgement in a case that will have far-reaching implications for the planning process in NI is not expected to be delivered until a later date. The news came on Friday, after a claim in Belfast's High Court that a decision by Executive Minister Sammy Wilson to give greater weight to economic benefi
01/02/2010
A new £14million state-of-the-art healthcare centre will be built at the Braid Valley Hospital site on the Cushendall Road, Ballymena. Scottish company Gareth Hoskins Architects, with Keppie Design, have submitted the plans for the amenity and the project was featured in last month's specialist mag
01/02/2010
A number of controversial proposals for the regeneration of a busy Co Antrim seaside town have been dropped. Initial plans for commercial and residential development at the Marine Gardens in Carrickfergus have now been scrapped in favour of constructing a brand new state-of-the-art park on the site
01/02/2010
Contractors in Co Tyrone are to get a fillip soon as a major contract to improve the riverbank area of Omagh has been approved. The £4million face lift will take place over the next two years with Omagh District Council receiving 100% funding from Europe as part of the 'OASIS Project.' The work wi
01/02/2010
The Dublin Government has said it is committed to helping homeowners struggling with mortgage payments. However, the Department of Finance has insisted that the Cabinet has not considered proposals on the matter to date. The Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said yesterday that the Governmen
01/02/2010
Work on a new world-class facility at rural Magherafelt High School has officially started, with a special 'sod cutting' ceremony to mark the occasion. A completely new school is being provided at a cost of £8.5m and pupils should be able to move into the new accommodation in September 2011. Heron
01/02/2010
A huge health centre has opened for business - as an example of the kind of successful construction project that is likely to be the 'way ahead' in the building industry. The centre has been developed under the Government's primacy care strategy by Fermoy man Fergus Hoban, a trained pharmacist and
