Geomechanics.io

Construction has formally started on the £50m redevelopment of Grimsby’s Freshney Place shopping centre, led by North-East Lincolnshire Council with GMI Construction as main contractor and completion targeted for 2027. The cleared site, including the demolished former Market Hall, Flottergate Mall units and upper floors of the former BHS building, will be rebuilt as a multi-use complex with a five-screen cinema, food hall, market, and leisure, food and beverage units. The project sits alongside the Alexandra Dock Housing scheme, which has consent for 120 new homes.

Speller Metcalfe has started the £6.2m construction phase of a 24-home scheme at 320 Swindon Road, St Paul’s, Cheltenham, for Cheltenham Borough Council, comprising 17 apartments and seven houses for social rent and shared ownership. Foundation works follow full site clearance, with completion targeted for 2027 under a contract procured via Westworks and supported by Homes England funding. Homes are designed with rooftop solar panels, ground source heat pumps, low‑carbon construction methods and biodiversity measures including tree planting, hedgehog highways, and bat, bee and bird boxes.

Hackney Council and contractor Mulalley are reviving the stalled Marian Court scheme on Homerton High Street with a Section 73 amendment, increasing provision from 160 to 163 homes, all with private outdoor space, plus a 187 m² community centre. The five-building development, originally designed by Adam Khan Architects and Muf Architecture/Art with heights from 3 to 12 storeys, has been reworked to comply with post-Grenfell fire safety regulations and sharply higher construction costs. Commercial space is cut from 10 to four units, while active street frontages, public courtyards and pedestrian links are retained.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has appointed contractor EW Beard to deliver a new recycling centre on Locksbrook Road by 2026, enabling closure of the existing Midland Road facility and redevelopment of that site. The Midland Road plot will be taken forward by council-owned Aequus Construction Limited with more than 170 one‑, two‑ and three‑bed homes for social rent, shared ownership and market sale under the Bath Western Riverside scheme. Works at Locksbrook will be sequenced in two phases, starting with refurbishment of a former transport depot before new-build construction next spring.

Clowes Developments has lodged plans for two industrial units totalling 542,000 sq ft on Plot 11 at Dove Valley Park, Foston, with earthworks already under way under an existing consent to ready the platform for construction. The scheme targets a currently undisclosed occupier and is positioned to exploit the park’s strategic location on the A50 corridor between the M1 and M6, important for HGV access and logistics operations. A revised Innovation Centre design has also been submitted, adding meeting space, a café/restaurant and start-up facilities developed with the University of Derby.

Versarien plc, developer of the Cementene graphene admixture, has filed a notice of intention to appoint Leonard Curtis as administrators, triggering a two-week protection period and suspension of AIM share trading while creditors consider options. Cementene was shown by Banagher Precast Concrete in 2023 to enable a 20% reduction in ordinary Portland cement in a standard precast mix, and Versarien had a collaboration agreement with Balfour Beatty to develop new concrete materials. The company has also supplied graphene technology to HS2 trials with the Skanska Costain Strabag JV and participates in National Highways’ Roads Research Alliance and the Digital Roads of the Future project.

Manchester’s Grade I-listed town hall refurbishment will now cost £524.8m, up 72% from the original £305.2m budget, with completion pushed back from 2024 to spring 2027 under main contractor Bovis Construction (Lendlease). Manchester City Council cites 4–6% annual labour cost growth since October 2024, covid-era disruption, subcontractor insolvencies and strict heritage requirements demanding closely matched replacement stone from alternative quarries after the approved source halted bulk supply. Ongoing discoveries of Victorian structural quirks are forcing on-the-hoof redesigns, creating cascading programme delays and further cost escalation.

Victoria has approved the mining work plan for VHM’s Goschen rare earths and mineral sands project in north-west Victoria, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for developing its zircon, rutile, ilmenite and rare earth orebody. The approval under the state’s Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act allows progression from exploration to mine construction planning, including detailed pit design, tailings storage and processing plant layout. For geotechs and mine planners, the decision signals that geotechnical models, groundwater controls and rehabilitation concepts have met Victorian regulator requirements, enabling more advanced design and contracting.

Illawarra Coal’s Appin mine in the Bulli Seam Operations has secured NSW Government approval for a major modification that introduces new emissions‑reduction technology across its underground coal workings. The project centres on upgraded gas drainage and methane capture infrastructure, enabling higher‑efficiency flaring or utilisation of mine gas that would otherwise vent from longwall panels. For geotechnical and ventilation teams, the change will require revised gas management plans, updated roadway drilling patterns, and closer integration of drainage design with production sequencing.

SACOME has appointed Catherine Mooney as its new chief executive officer, placing a lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience in resources, energy and major projects at the helm of South Australia’s peak mining and energy body. Mooney has previously advised on large-scale project approvals, native title and land access, and complex regulatory frameworks affecting exploration and production. Her appointment signals continued emphasis on policy advocacy and permitting certainty for copper, uranium and critical minerals developments in South Australia’s Gawler Craton and emerging basin projects.

An “aggressive rush of capital” into Australia’s exploration sector is emerging, with a new report pointing to a turning point driven by government incentives and private investment targeting critical minerals. Funding is concentrating on battery metals such as lithium, nickel and rare earths, alongside copper and gold, with juniors accelerating greenfield drilling programmes in WA and Queensland. For geoscientists and drill contractors, the shift signals stronger demand for deep RC and diamond drilling, advanced geophysics, and faster resource definition to meet investor timelines.

Black Cat Syndicate has completed the final cash payment for its acquisition of the Lakewood gold processing facility, funding it entirely from operating cash flow rather than new equity or debt. The Lakewood plant, located near Kalgoorlie, gives Black Cat its own processing route for nearby underground and open-pit ore sources instead of relying on third‑party toll treatment. For mine planners and metallurgists, full ownership removes counterparty risk on mill access and supports scheduling higher‑grade feed without external plant constraints.

Beca is promoting “smarter tailings” management as mines chase higher recovery from lower-grade ores, driving up tailings volumes and storage pressures. The consultancy is focusing on integrated tailings and water balances, alternative deposition strategies, and reprocessing options to extract residual value while reducing the footprint of conventional tailings storage facilities. For geotechnical and civil teams, this signals more emphasis on life-of-mine tailings planning, coupled hydro-geotechnical modelling, and designs that accommodate future rehandling and closure constraints.

Cummins is ramping up its global campaign against increasingly sophisticated counterfeit engine parts by training hundreds of customs and border officials to identify fake components entering mining supply chains. The company is focusing on high‑value items such as fuel injectors, filters and turbochargers for large mining haul trucks and loaders, where non‑genuine parts can cause premature failure, unplanned downtime and safety risks. For mine operators, the push reinforces the need for traceable procurement and serial‑number verification to protect engine life and warranty coverage.

Equipment hire specialist Andrew Fisher, general manager of Coates Industrial Solutions, explains how large-scale shutdowns in mining and heavy industry are supported by integrated temporary power, compressed air and dewatering fleets rather than ad hoc single-item rentals. Fisher points to pre-engineered packages combining high-capacity generators, modular load banks and bulk fuel storage, plus on-site technicians, to keep critical maintenance windows on schedule. For shutdown planners, the message is to lock in engineered hire solutions early so craneage, access equipment and environmental controls are sized and sequenced correctly for the outage.

Almost 70% of global institutional investors expect further gold price gains in 2025, with a Goldman Sachs poll indicating consensus that new record highs are more likely in 2026 than next year. Respondents cited persistent geopolitical risk and expectations of lower real US interest rates as the main price drivers, rather than short-term jewellery or industrial demand. For miners and project developers, the outlook supports continued investment in marginal orebodies and higher-cost operations, but also raises pressure to lock in prices via hedging strategies.

Brandon Hire Station is closing around 60 of its c.100 UK branches, cutting about 400 jobs and exiting the walk‑in retail/DIY market to focus solely on strategic B2B customers and specialist assets. Parent company Vp plc, which bought Brandon for £70m in 2017, expects a £22m exceptional restructuring charge (with £16m cash cost) in the current financial year. The move comes as Vp’s pre‑tax profit for the six months to 30 September 2025 fell 44% to £11.0m on revenue of £188.4m, down 2% year on year.

John Graham Construction has broken ground on the £50m Oasis Academy Temple Quarter in Bristol, a new secondary school for 1,600 pupils on Silverthorne Lane in the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. The project comprises a purpose-built main teaching block and conversion of a listed former boiler shop, part of what was once one of Europe’s largest steelworks, into a dedicated sports hall. The academy is planned to open in September 2027, initially for 11–16 year olds, with a sixth form to follow post-occupation.

Plans to redevelop Glasgow’s 4.4-acre Chinatown site in Cowcaddens into a mixed-use quarter have been lodged with Glasgow City Council by New City Burnside Ltd, a joint venture between Keltbray Developments and the local owners, in a masterplan valued at more than £160m. Concept designs by Hawkins\Brown propose new residential apartments, student accommodation, and expanded retail and leisure space, with a strong brief to retain and reintegrate existing owners and tenants. Public realm upgrades are central, signalling significant streetscape, access and servicing changes around New City Road.

Thwaites has completed a new 4,000 m² production building at its Cubbington site, built by Interclass over a 71‑week programme, to consolidate production and parts operations and lift site dumper manufacturing capacity by 15% from early 2026. The facility, described by the company as its most significant investment in 88 years, is fitted with 1,483 roof‑mounted solar panels expected to supply up to 33% of site power demand. The site also gains 36 EV charging points for staff and visitors, supporting fleet electrification.

Alumno Group has secured forward funding from Henderson Park for a 453-bed purpose-built student accommodation portfolio split between a 191-bed new-build at Jock’s Lodge, Meadowbank, Edinburgh, and a 262-bed scheme on St George’s Road in Glasgow’s Woodlands district. Both projects already hold planning consent, with Alumno retaining delivery responsibility and targeting practical completion by September 2027. The timing and scale signal continued institutional appetite for PBSA in Scotland’s core university markets, with long lead-in for design coordination, utilities, and site logistics on two dense urban plots.

Consolidated guidance for cranes operating near live rail tracks has been issued by the Construction Plant-hire Association’s Crane Interest Group and Tower Crane Interest Group in collaboration with Network Rail, replacing CPA1402 and CPA1801 with a single 58-page document, Requirements for Lifting Equipment Adjacent to Railways Controlled by Network Rail. The guidance is aligned with Network Rail’s CIV0063 (Issue 2), giving contractors and client a shared technical baseline and clearer allocation of responsibilities. Key changes include a defined hierarchy of control, explicit treatment of oversailing and collapse radius, and tighter procedures for working range limitation and notifications.

WSP has appointed Sharif Narouz as major programme director for the UK and Ireland, recruiting him from the Ministry of Defence’s Atomic Weapons Establishment where he led the Future Materials Campus programme. Narouz also served as a high-risk project reviewer with the National Infrastructure & Service Transformation Authority and previously held senior rail delivery roles at Network Rail, Transport for London and Crossrail as supply chain delivery director. WSP signals a push to expand its capability on complex, multi-billion-pound major commissions from early-stage inception through to completion.

Scrapping the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) from 31 March 2026 will remove £1.3bn a year of funding that currently delivers energy‑saving retrofits to about 5,000 UK homes a month, cutting average bills by £150 but leaving the replacement Warm Homes Plan still delayed and undefined. Retrofit firms including Domna, Net Zero Renewables and Eco Approach warn that without at least a 12‑month ECO extension, up to 10,000 installer, coordinator and surveyor jobs and thousands of low‑income households in fuel poverty face a cliff‑edge. For contractors and consultants, the main risk is a multi‑year hiatus in funded retrofit pipelines, eroding hard‑won delivery capacity.