Daily briefing
National Construction News briefing: Friday 9 October 2026
15 stories from the last 24 hours, one event or deadline today, four dates for the week ahead and five closing dates from our recent stories.
Stories from the last 24 hours
Tyréns names former Arcadis executive Nilesh Parmar as UK managing director
Parmar takes charge of the Swedish group's two UK businesses, engineer Tyréns AKT and building services consultancy Tyréns Hilson Moran, five weeks after both firms adopted the Tyréns name.
Fabricator fined £48,000 after unassessed 133kg lift cost welder part of his thumb
HSE prosecuted Fitzpatrick Fabrications Ltd after a welder working alone at its Nelson factory was crushed by a 133kg hopper, days after a near-identical incident, with no risk assessment or safe system of work in place.
Wolverhampton launches Heath Town energy centre to serve estate's new council homes
City of Wolverhampton Council has opened a heat pump-led energy centre replacing the coal-designed boiler house of a Heath Town heat network installed about 55 years ago, with more than 100 further council homes planned.
SPOA and CECA Scotland partner to open plant careers to civils Academy graduates
The Scottish Plant Owners Association will fund dump truck tickets, run simulator sessions and attend college events for CECA Scotland Academy students under a new partnership starting this month.
Apollo Fire Detectors integrates Cranford Controls with single ordering from 2 November
The Havant detector manufacturer has brought the Alton alarm device maker into its business, keeping the Cranford brand and factory while moving product support and purchasing under Apollo.
HPA UK publishes MCS-endorsed guide on insulating external heat pump pipework
The trade body has issued installer guidance on insulating the outdoor hydraulic pipework of monobloc air-to-water heat pumps, citing MCS audit data that ranks the fault as the most common non-conformity.
HTA takes Housing Architect of the Year and Gold Award at AYA Building Design Awards
The practice said judges singled out its modular construction work and its retrofit of four Edwardian blocks on Clarion's Sutton Estate in Chelsea, a scheme Clarion said would deliver 81 social rented homes.
Building and Construction named as possible Vocational GCSE as DfE poll shows 84% back hands-on options
The Department for Education has published polling of 500 young people as it sets out a timetable for Vocational GCSEs from 2029, with Building and Construction among the subjects under consideration.
OPSS rejects Y Kall mini chainsaw at border over guard and plug failures
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has stopped an imported 6 inch battery chainsaw whose guard did not halt the chain on contact and whose plug failed UK regulations.
Network Rail closes Rugby to Stafford line on two October weekends for £400m West Coast renewals
Track renewals on the Trent Valley section of the West Coast Main Line will halt trains between Stafford and Rugby on 10 to 11 and 17 to 18 October, while HS2 Ltd pours concrete and protects Network Rail tracks outside Euston.
MJ Gleeson names Andrew Kirkman as CFO as Stefan Allanson steps down after 11 years
Former CLS Holdings and Harworth finance chief Andrew Kirkman joins the affordable housebuilder on 19 October, inheriting a business that sold 1,968 homes last year on revenue of £410.0m.
Core Five on Digbeth Loc Studios team picked by Homes England for Fazeley Street regeneration
Cost consultant Core Five is part of the Digbeth Loc Studios team that Homes England has chosen, subject to contract, to deliver a creative and mixed-use neighbourhood at Fazeley Street in Birmingham.
Network Rail to spend £200,000 renewing control equipment at Goole Swing Bridge
Power cables and 16 control units on the Grade II*-listed railway bridge over the River Ouse will be replaced over a two-day closure of the Doncaster to Hull line in October.
RAIB tells Bluebell Railway to review coupling arrangements after locomotives moved with shunter between them
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has published its findings on a 2025 incident in which two steam locomotives moved unexpectedly during coupling at the heritage line's 65th anniversary gala.
Green Hill Solar Farm wins development consent for up to 500MW scheme in Northamptonshire
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has approved Green Hill Solar Farm Limited's application for an up to 500MW solar and battery scheme spanning nine sites south and west of Wellingborough.
Today
Energy Efficiency Awards
Takes place today at Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
This week
World Mental Health Day
Takes place on Saturday 10 October.
British Construction and Infrastructure Awards
Takes place on Wednesday 14 October.
Highways UK
Starts on Wednesday 14 October.
RIBA Stirling Prize
Takes place on Thursday 15 October.
Closing soon
Northern Ireland Housing Executive is seeking tenders for "Response Maintenance and Improvement Works", estimated at £95,931,041 excluding VAT, with a deadline of 15:00 on 12 October 2026.
The consultation closes on Friday 16 October 2026.
Rochdale Boroughwide Housing Limited's ITT for the Provision of Repairs Services Tender, valued at £32,197,500 including VAT, also closes on 16 October at 12:00.
Largest construction works tenders closing 5 to 18 October 2026
That consultation runs until 21 October.
About this briefing
Published on weekday mornings. Every item comes from a story National Construction News has already published and checked against its sources, from dates organisers have published, or from our data trackers. See the events and awards calendar, or get the week's stories by email with the weekly newsletter.