Work to start on new Nottingham bridge
The first stage, scheduled to start in the coming weeks, will involve the demolition of a warehouse formerly used by Flo skate park.The bridge will then be built at the site throughout the summer and autumn before being lifted into place by a "huge" crane in November.Further work on ramps, steps, paving and lighting will then take place over the winter before the bridge opens to the public in spring 2026.A council report published in October said the project could cost up to £18m - nearly double the original £9.275m price tag.The latest update says the contract with Balfour Beatty is worth £12.6m.It is being paid for by the government's Transforming Cities Fund, which awarded £161m for various projects in 2019 as part of a joint bid from Nottingham and Derby.Some elements of the wider scheme were scrapped and the money reallocated to others which have seen costs increase, such as the new bridge.
Nottingham City Council leader Neghat Khan said she was "delighted" the work could now start."Once completed, the bridge will enhance Nottingham's cycling and pedestrian network, providing a safe, traffic-free route over the river and empowering more people to travel sustainably and healthily," she said.Rushcliffe Borough Council leader Neil Clarke said it was "another milestone" for the project."Creating this new link for cyclists and pedestrians will create easier access to nearby open spaces in Lady Bay and West Bridgford and our local sports grounds and leisure facilities, encouraging more people to make lower carbon journeys," he said.The city council said it expects more than 100 people will be employed during the project, including four apprentices.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Balfour Beatty profits lift as it eyes boost from UK construction projects
Infrastructure giant Balfour Beatty has announced stronger profits after a boost from its UK construction arm, which it expects to be supported further by new projects. It came as boss Leo Quinn delivered his final results for the firm. He is stepping down as chief executive after almost 11 years transforming its operations. On Wednesday, the FTSE 250 company said it is on track to meet its profit forecasts for this year and is targeting 'growth' in 2026. It reported that pre-tax profits grew to £132 million for the first half of the year, up from £112 million a year earlier. Balfour Beatty said it was supported by 'strong' profitability in its UK construction and support services operations. Mr Quinn said its UK business saw profit margins reach target levels more quickly than expected because of Government efforts to speed up infrastructure projects and planning reform. He said: 'Recent UK Government announcements confirm a deep pipeline of major infrastructure projects which closely align with the group's unique expert capabilities and will further enhance the quality of the future order book.' However, the company said it saw weaker profitability from its US construction arm over the half-year because of issues facing interstate highway projects in Texas. Mr Quinn added: 'Our continuing strong cash generation is underpinned by a growing order book with improved margins and lower risk contract forms. 'This provides the board with increasing confidence in significant future cash generation that supports our ongoing dividends and share buybacks. 'This is demonstrated by the momentum in our key growth areas in the first half.' Shares in Balfour Beatty were 2.8% lower.
The Independent
08-08-2025
- The Independent
UK housebuilders in focus as construction woes cloud outlook
UK housebuilders will be in sharp focus as the sector grapples with construction woes, despite the Government ploughing ahead with plans to stimulate more building. Persimmon and Balfour Beatty will announce their half-year results on Wednesday, and Bellway will provide a trading update on Tuesday. York-based developer Persimmon said in May that forward sales – meaning homes ordered but not yet bought – had surged by 17% over the first three months of the financial year, compared to the previous year. It was expecting to complete the sale of between 11,000 and 11.500 new homes over the year, which would be significantly more than the roughly 10,670 it sold in 2024. However, experts said Persimmon was among the builders fighting issues 'outside of its control' in the wider property sector. Richard Hunter, head of markets for Interactive Investor, said: 'It remains to be seen whether the momentum has continued into the half-year results, or whether slowing construction activity and mortgage availability concerns remain uppermost. 'Even so, the group should eventually benefit from the extreme supply and demand imbalance in the UK, while government reforms should also prove to be a tailwind.' The Labour Government has been pushing to introduce new planning reforms to help meet its pledge to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is making its way through the House of Lords, includes mandatory housing targets and reforms to planning rules to make it harder to reject developments. City analyst Michael Hewson said: 'With the current Government vocal in its commitment to ramp up a housebuilding programme, you would think that housebuilders would be reaping the benefits of that. 'Sadly, the reality is somewhat different, especially where governments are involved.' He pointed to recent survey data from S&P Global, closely watched by economists, which showed UK construction work dropping at the fastest rate in more than five years in July. This was partly driven by a fresh slump for residential housebuilding, which had been showing early signs of a rebound. Construction firms said there was a lack of opportunities for new work, and hesitancy from customers to commit to projects, while some had been buying fewer materials. Meanwhile, investors will also be looking to Bellway's trading update to see how it is navigating wider sector challenges. In June, the company lifted its forecast for the number of homes it will build this year, while also reporting an increase in the level of forward sales it secured.
BBC News
08-08-2025
- BBC News
Former Nottingham office set to be converted into flats
Plans to convert an office in Nottingham into 118 flats have been given the City Council has approved proposals from ALB Group to transform Riverleen House in Electric Avenue, which was previously used for offices, into one-bedroom and studio apartments. According to planning documents, the rise of hybrid working models has made office sites away from city-centre locations "less viable for long-term commercial occupation". The plans stated that converting Riverleen House, which was refurbished in 2015, would help meet Nottingham's housing needs in a "sustainable" manner. The building was constructed for credit reference agency Experian in 1997, according to commercial estate agents Fisher Hargreaves documents added: "The site, currently in office use, is increasingly better suited to residential purposes, particularly in light of changing workplace dynamics following the Covid-19 pandemic."With the rise of hybrid and remote working models, the demand for traditional office space has declined, particularly in peripheral locations."
