Procurement for an engineering partner to deliver the UK’s Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (Step) fusion power plant at West Burton, Nottinghamshire, will restart in 1–2 years after the initial tender process collapsed, while selection of a construction partner is said to be close. The Step project, led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority and targeting a grid-connected prototype fusion plant, will demand complex nuclear-grade civil works, deep excavations and heavy-shielded structures around the spherical tokamak. Engineers can expect future tenders to emphasise constructability under stringent nuclear safety, thermal loading and electromagnetic compatibility constraints.

The Department for Infrastructure has opened procurement for a £48M first-phase flood‑alleviation scheme in Portadown, targeting repeated inundation along the River Bann and its tributaries. The works will form part of a long‑planned programme to protect the town, which has seen multiple significant flood events over recent decades affecting residential, commercial and transport assets. Contractors will be bidding into a DfI‑led framework where fluvial hydraulics, floodwall and embankment design, and integration with existing river defences will be central to winning strategies.

Luton Airport’s expansion, including raising its passenger cap from 18M to 32M a year and adding a new terminal, can proceed after the High Court dismissed a legal challenge to the transport secretary’s development consent order. The scheme, promoted by Luton Rising, entails significant airfield, apron and landside works, plus upgrades to the M1–A1081 corridor and local rail/bus interchanges. Campaign group LADACAN is now considering an appeal, prolonging uncertainty for detailed phasing, surface access design and environmental mitigation commitments.