RSK has acquired Octavius Infrastructure from Sullivan Street Partners, moving the formerly consultancy-focused group into tier one main contracting across UK rail and highways, with Octavius’ 700 staff retained under chief executive John Dowsett. Octavius reported £322.9m turnover and £8.6m pre-tax profit to 31 March 2025, while RSK turned over £2.24bn but remained loss-making after 11 acquisitions in the year. Current Octavius schemes include Ryde Pier and Waterloo Station roof refurbishments, new stations at Okehampton and Charfield, and the A46 Walsgrave and A140 Long Stratton Bypass upgrades.

Work has restarted on two nearly complete residential blocks at Southwark’s St Saviours Estate in Bermondsey after ARJ Construction, which had finished about 90% of the works, went into administration in April 2024. Newly appointed contractor Bloom Construction, founded in 2023, is now tasked with delivering 40 council homes at the Fendall and Maltby site by spring 2026. The remaining scope covers final fit-out, M&E commissioning, contaminated soil removal, external works and landscaping, lift installation, play equipment and full building control compliance.

Enabling works have started on Hartwell’s £50m regeneration of the 8.4-acre former Hartwells Garage site on Newbridge Road, Bath, including removal of the old damaged forecourt canopy and detailed pre-construction surveys. The Allford Hall Monaghan Morris-designed scheme will deliver 104 apartments, a 186-bed student block, new A1/A3 commercial units and landscaped public realm on the brownfield plot, vacated in 2019. Hartwell is working with Walsingham Planning, Ridge, Stantec, IMA Transport Planning and Aspect Ecology, with the main contractor still to be appointed.