Market Update 2017Q4: UK Major Contract Awards
Posted by Steve Thomas on Tuesday, January 23, 2018
It’s been a busy few months in the construction industry, with several major projects being awarded in the run up to Christmas. With these major contracts beginning imminently, we will be looking for high-calibre staff to fill vacancies on interesting projects across the UK.
Increased Growth in Construction
In November 2017, the number of new construction contracts awarded had increased by 5% according to Barbour ABI, representing the highest monthly figure for two years (£7.4 billion.) The majority of the work awarded was in Yorkshire and Humber, which had the recent £2.25 billion TransPennine Upgrade contract award.
Roles Available Across the UK
North West
In the North West, two large waste facilities – Lostock Energy from Waste Facility and Ince Resource Recovery Park – were both awarded, with values of £300 million and £130 million respectively. Manchester Airport will be beginning their stage two pavement works, a value of £54 million, after Galliford Try secured the contract in December. The largest residential project awarded was the Gore Street, Salford project, a £60 million development of flats, townhouses, commercial units and a 20-storey hotel. If you are interested in working on these projects, we have a number of roles in the North for quantity surveyors, estimators, as well as claims and expert witness positions.
London
The £83 million Pennybrook development at the Olympic Park was the largest contract awarded in London, closely followed by the TFL Jubilee Line Escalators project (£76.2 million). Other large residential contracts were also decided: the £26 million development at Burford Road, Witney, and a £62.6 million development, Orchard Place, at Leamouth South. Being a vibrant and busy market, we have over 200 vacancies in London across all sectors, but are particularly in need of quantity surveyors and claims managers.
Midlands
In the Midlands, infrastructure spending gets a boost from the £48.9 million highways project at the new town of Northstowe in Cambridgeshire and £50 million redevelopment of the Birmingham Battery site. Shropshire County Council also awarded in December a 10-year highways maintenance contract with a value of £210 million. There are vacancies for engineers, project managers, site managers, as well as quantity surveyors and estimators across the Midlands and East Anglia.
If you are thinking of looking for a new role, take a look at our current vacancies, or speak to one of our advisors about how we can help you find a position on some of the most prestigious and challenging projects in the UK.