The post Read the Latest News on Uniper Begins Solar PV Portfolio Building, Rolls-royce’s Multimillion-dollar Expansion Begins Construction, the Ultimate Grenfell Tower Inquiry Measures Includes Single Construction Regulator, and HS2’s Most Notable Construction Milestone is Long Itchington Wood Tunnel appeared first on UK Construction Blog.
In today’s news, a German energy company known as Uniper has initiated the construction of a number of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the countries of Germany, Hungary, and the United Kingdom. At the same time that the first concrete foundation pads were being put on the site, the construction phase of the new historic extension to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, which is estimated to cost more than 300 million pounds, began. The pad is located in close proximity to the existing manufacturing facilities and headquarters of the marque anywhere in the world. In addition, as a last step in its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the government announced today that it will establish a unified construction regulator. This will guarantee that persons who are responsible for the safety of buildings are held accountable for their actions. On top of that, the Long Itchington Wood Tunnel in Warwickshire, which was the first high-speed tunnel to complete its civil engineering phase, has been acknowledged by HS2 as a significant location for achievement.
Uniper Begins Solar PV Portfolio Building in Hungary, Germany, and the UK
Original Source: Uniper kicks off construction on solar PV portfolios in Hungary, Germany and the UK
Uniper, a German energy provider, has begun building a number of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Germany.
Two solar projects in Hungary are scheduled to begin construction in the near future, according to the business.
While the 90 MWp Tét project is expected to commence operations in 2027 once construction begins in the third quarter of 2025, the 61 MWp Dunaföldvár project is expected to connect to the grid by 2026 and begin in Q2 of 2025.
Both PV facilities will be built by EXTOR Energy, a Hungarian engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor.
Uniper is a conglomeration of different divisions within the corporation that was formed in 2016 from utility E.On’s generation division. As an example, there is the Green Generation division, whose mission is to increase the business’s green generation capabilities. The business intends to engage in the research, development, building, and operation of onshore wind and solar PV, in addition to its operational capability, which includes hydropower and nuclear power.
The German firm has pledged to invest almost €8 billion (US$8.4 billion) to expand its renewable energy portfolio by the early 2030s, which includes investments in the PV projects in Hungary and other renewable assets.
Solar photovoltaic portfolio for Europe
In an effort to bounce back from its financial woes and the German government’s 2022 financial bailout that put it under state ownership due to the energy crisis, Uniper is speeding up its renewables buildout. The business announced its intention to repay the German government €2.6 billion in the first quarter of 2025 in its financial results, which were also released today.
In its pursuit of a European expansion and the development of up to 10 GW of capacity ready-to-build by 2030, Uniper has recently commenced construction on a number of solar PV plants, including the two in Hungary. Poland, Sweden, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy are the present focal points of the business.
The 17 MW facility, situated on an ash landfill on the site of a former coal-fired power station in the German city of Wilhelmshaven in the country’s northwest, has commenced construction.
Over 28,500 solar modules will be set up using landfill-specific anchoring technologies as part of this project.
“We are transforming unused industrial land into a valuable source of renewable energy by utilising the ash landfill site of the former Wilhelmshaven coal-fired power plant,” stated Jörg Lennertz, CEO of Uniper Renewables.
Aiming to activate the plant in the first half of 2026, construction of the project is being carried out in conjunction with EPC contractor Greening Germany.
In addition, two projects totalling 65MWp have commenced development at the UK location.
Both developments will be situated in Staffordshire, namely in the towns of Tamworth and Totmonslow, in the Midlands. The combined solar power output of the two projects will be 44.2MWp and 21.33MWp, when they are both operational.
Uniper plans to begin building later this year with an operational goal year of 2026.
In 2023, the local planning authorities granted planning clearance to both projects. In August 2024, the Tamworth solar project won a Contract for Difference (CfD) in the AR6 CFD auction.
Rolls-royce’s Multimillion-dollar Expansion Begins Construction
Original Source: Construction phase begins on multi-million extension at the home of Rolls-Royce
As the first concrete foundation pads were poured on the site, the construction phase of the new £300+ million landmark extension to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood got underway. The pad is adjacent to the marque’s existing manufacturing facilities and worldwide headquarters.
On the northern elevation of the site, where the new Exterior Surface Centre (Paint Shop) will be built, the inaugural pads have been constructed. As they move south, contractors will lay the groundwork for this crucial structure by connecting approximately 650 pads.
Since no other location in the world is responsible for the design and hand-building of Rolls-Royce motor cars, Goodwood is rightfully called the Home of Rolls-Royce. With this one-of-a-kind status in mind, the brand pays close attention to the building’s setting in the picturesque countryside of West Sussex, close to the South Downs National Park.
Launched in 2003, the initial location was meticulously planned to seamlessly integrate with its natural environment. The expansion continues the building’s tradition of using thoughtfully selected materials and boasting the biggest ‘living roof’ in the UK, making it virtually undetectable from a distance. Careful consideration was given to the building’s historical context and the surrounding terrain in its design, which reflects modern trends in architecture, aesthetics, construction techniques, and environmental consciousness, biodiversity, and conservation for the past 22 years.
With the help of knowledgeable advisors and consultants, Rolls-Royce consulted with locals, as well as the appropriate authorities, agencies, utilities, and other interested parties, before submitting an application for planning permission. Remarkably fast development has occurred on the project since Chichester District Council approved it in March 2024. We have made great strides in completing the necessary groundworks, which include the planted bunds that will hide the site from view. Along with planned planting, which is expected to contribute to a 12% net-gain in biodiversity, local walkways have also undergone extensive renovations.
Aside from showcasing the new Surface Finish Centre, the 40,000 square metre expansion will provide the brand with much-needed capacity for its Bespoke activities, which are experiencing tremendous expansion. Client desires for increasingly technically difficult, authentically tough, and highly personalised Bespoke commissions—which peak in Coachbuild projects—driven these to record levels in 2024. The marque’s persistent investment in its worldwide network of Private Offices—which has grown from its original location at Goodwood to major luxury hubs like Dubai, Shanghai, New York, and Seoul—is a direct cause of this expansion.
The expansion project is the most expensive addition to the Home of Rolls-Royce since it opened in 2003, costing over £300 million. With an on-site workforce of over 2,500 and a total of 7,500 employment supported by its supply chain, Rolls-Royce has emerged as a remarkable success story in British manufacturing throughout that time. The corporation has contributed over £4 billion to the UK economy and continues to do so at a rate of over £500 million per year, according to an independent analysis by the London School of Economics (LSE).
Extending the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood required extensive planning approval, which was reached after extensive community engagement and collaboration with the appropriate authorities, agencies, and consultants. The fact that we have started the building phase with the installation of the first foundation pads in less than 12 months is something I am very excited about. This is a really important and thrilling occasion because it implies we’re going to be able to finish this historic project on time, which will allow us to prosper in the future and make a huge economic impact on the area and “UK PLC.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Chris Brownridge
The Ultimate Grenfell Tower Inquiry Measures Will Include a Single Construction Regulator
Original Source: Government to introduce new single construction regulator as part of final Grenfell Tower Inquiry reforms
As a last step in responding to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the government stated today that it will establish a unified construction regulator to ensure that individuals accountable for building safety are held to account.
As part of its efforts to bring the industry to account and achieve “a sweeping transformation” of building and fire safety standards, the government has introduced a number of reforms, including the new regulator.
Nevertheless, the investigation found that the planned new regulator should have the authority to test and certify building materials, but it has decided against doing so.
To avoid a repeat of the disaster, the government acknowledged today (26 February) that it was not doing enough to implement all 58 recommendations made in the study, but it promised to take “decisive action” on all of them.
Rumour has it that in the autumn, plans will be unveiled for the new unified construction regulator. This regulator would take on responsibilities formerly held by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, such as regulating building products, and the current Building Safety Regulator.
The government has stated that the testing and certification of construction materials will not be the responsibility of the new unified regulator.
Our position is that it would be inappropriate for a single regulator to be responsible for testing and certifying building items or issuing certificates of compliance due to the potential for a new internal conflict of interest.
Concerns, as understood by Inside Housing, boil down to the fact that, under a single regulator, the same entity responsible for determining a product’s safety would also be responsible for ensuring that the testing was adequate.
Even though the investigation report heavily criticised this approach, private companies will still be responsible for testing and certification.
The government “apologised on behalf of the British state for its part in these failings” in its comprehensive response to the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, which was issued last September.
The investigation concluded that the government was “poorly run” and “complacent” since it knew about the dangers of the cladding yet did nothing about it.
The report’s assertion that “systematic dishonesty” among product producers was a “very significant reason” for the harmful cladding led to the commencement of a debarment investigation against seven businesses.
The procurement review unit now has the authority to examine suppliers under the Procurement Act 2023, which was put into force on Monday, 24 February. Assuming specific conditions are satisfied, the seven organisations’ names would be included in a publicly accessible debarment list.
This would set an example for other public entities and prevent them from competing for contracts with the federal government. People who had obtained public works contracts couldn’t utilise them as suppliers or subcontractors because their debarment would go into effect even for subcontracts.
The government’s reaction, which includes stricter regulations for individuals responsible for certification, production, and use of building products, was accompanied by the publication of a green paper on reforming construction products.
It outlined plans for a “system-wide reform of the construction products regime” that would make all manufacturers answerable for evaluating safety risks before marketing their products, as well as a general safety requirement to bring in the two-thirds of construction products that are believed to be exempt from current regulations.
Both civil and criminal consequences are available to manufacturers that intentionally mislead or fail to fulfil their obligations.
Truthfulness on the part of public officials will also be mandated by the new Hillsborough Law.
A housing secretary and deputy prime minister named Angela Rayner lamented the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower fire, saying it was an unjust tragedy.
After much deliberation, the final report revealed the horrific actions and broader failures of the business that caused the fire, as well as the profound injustices suffered by the victims, survivors, and locals.
“We are taking rigorous action in response to the inquiry’s findings. Today, we laid out our full response, outlining our plans to reform the system and drive change so that no community ever has to endure another Grenfell-like tragedy.”
That calls for more transparency, stricter rules, and prioritising locals in policymaking. The necessary fundamental transformation must be delivered by us. The Grenfell community, our nation, and the souls of the fallen deserve it.
The infamous investigation exposed “chronic and systemic failings” in fire safety management at Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation.
The building safety minister, Alex Norris, stated: “The Grenfell Tower fire was a preventable tragedy, and the failings it exposed demanded fundamental change.”.
We have a detailed strategy to reform the construction sector, increase oversight, and put citizens first when making decisions about building safety, as outlined in our response to the inquiry’s findings today.
“To ensure these reforms bring about genuine, long-term change and restore faith, we will maintain tight collaboration with business, regional leaders, and the Grenfell community.”
A separate inquiry into the failures that caused the fire has been launched by the Metropolitan Police, and the government has stated that it would continue to back this effort.
In mid-2025, we will begin publishing quarterly updates on the reforms, and once a year, we will provide parliament with an update. All suggestions made during the public inquiry will also be kept in a publicly available record.
Changes would be brought in through a staggered method, the administration stated, with the initial stage focussing on delivering its present agenda of regulatory reform.
In the second stage, which runs from 2026 to 2028, plans will be put up to implement the suggestions and broader reform, which may involve legislation. These changes will be put into place by the government starting in 2028.
With no alterations to be made before June, the eighth anniversary of the catastrophe, the government has just declared its intentions to “respectfully and carefully” demolish Grenfell Tower over a two-year period.
Long Itchington Wood Tunnel Becomes HS2’s Most Notable Construction Milestone
Original Source: HS2 marks major construction milestone at Long Itchington Wood Tunnel
Long Itchington Wood Tunnel in Warwickshire, the first high-speed tunnel to finish its civil engineering phase, has been recognised by HS2 as a major site for achievement.
Elements such as three cross passages, concrete finishing works and base slabs, emergency and maintenance walkways, and the one-mile-long twin-bore tunnel have all been developed and are ready to transport the railway into the West Midlands.
The intricate power, track and signalling systems required to run the high-speed line are installed prior to the interior fitting out of the tunnel.
Among the five twin-bore tunnels planned for the HS2 project, this one has reached a crucial milestone. There are 27.4 miles of tunnels, some deep and others twin-bore, that connect London to the West Midlands.
The Long Itchington Wood Tunnel was initially planned to be constructed in June 2020. The tunnel-boring machine, which was dubbed “Dorothy” after the first British woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Dorothy Hodgkin, was 125 meters long and was used to dig the tunnel. The machine began operating in December 2021 and completed the tunnel’s excavation of both bores by March 2023.
Two tunnel drives and the entry portions were completely excavated using a sophisticated procedure that produced around 750,000 tonnes of material. This material was then utilised to construct embankments along the railway track. The installation of the tunnels’ critical structural components has been a continuous effort since the breakthrough over two years ago.
Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), the major works contractor for the West Midlands on the 56-mile HS2 project connecting Warwickshire’s Long Itchington to Birmingham’s central business district and Staffordshire, is building the tunnel.
The senior project manager for HS2 Ltd., Doug Barnett, stated:
Even though it’s just a tiny piece of HS2, I’ve been a proud witness to the construction’s journey from its infancy to its nearing completion for the past 4.5 years.
“The remarkable achievement of Long Itchington Wood Tunnel, an engineering marvel, is due in large part to the tireless efforts of everyone engaged, both on and offsite, who have worked tirelessly over the last five years. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their support.”
Since work on the Long Itchington Wood tunnelling project started, 380 individuals have shown their support. Among them is Alfie Ward, a recent engineering graduate who contributed significantly to the rapid and safe completion of the tunnel’s cross passage work by applying his newly acquired understanding of design and surveying practices.
To which Alfie responded:
The Long Itchington Wood Tunnel provided me with an ideal launching pad for my career as a recent engineering graduate. Thanks to this opportunity, which came at a great time in my career, I was able to gain invaluable knowledge that I am currently putting to use as a site engineer at Bromford Tunnel.
The local land topography was an important consideration throughout the design and delivery of the Long Itchington Wood Tunnel in order to reduce the impact of construction. The tunnel, which is 30 meters below earth, bypasses nearby communities while protecting an old woodland above.
The head of tunnelling at Balfour Beatty VINCI, Jules Arlaud, stated:
This accomplishment is monumental in scope. The tunnels now have three cross-passages, and the concrete finishing works, base slabs, and walkways are now complete. This final phase of construction is the result of five years of relentless work by a dedicated crew of about 380 individuals.
“At various points throughout the course of this project, our skilled tunnellers have laid 1,582 concrete rings throughout the two tunnels. Each ring consists of eight segments, each two meters wide and weighing up to eight tonnes.”
The HS2 project, which will connect the West Midlands with London, is still going strong and is responsible for the maintenance of more than 31,000 jobs. After HS2 is finished, trains will be able to use a dedicated high-speed line to travel from London to the West Midlands and on to northern destinations, easing congestion on the current West Coast Main Line and increasing economic growth.
In recent weeks, construction progress in the West Midlands has seen HS2 complete its first viaduct at HS2’s Delta Junction in North Warwickshire. A new green bridge is being constructed to span the high-speed railway in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, and HS2 has also announced the most recent developments in this project.
On HS2, there are four additional twin bore tunnels:
Both tunnel drives are anticipated to be finished this year, including the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel that carries the railway into Birmingham.
The 10-mile Chiltern Tunnel, the longest section of HS2, which runs beneath the Chiltern Hills, will have its internal works finished in 2023 and its tunnel drives finished in early 2024;
The 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel, which connects Old Oak Common to outer London and is being dug by four tunnelling machines; the first drive was finished in December of last year; and the 4.5-mile Euston Tunnel, which connects Old Oak Common to central London and is being dug by two tunnel boring machines; both projects are in various stages of preparation.
Summary of today’s construction news
Overall, we discussed that the company has announced that work will soon commence on two solar projects in Hungary. The 61 MWp Dunaföldvár project is scheduled to connect to the grid by 2026 and begin in Q2 of 2025, whereas the 90 MWp Tét project is anticipated to start operations in 2027 once construction starts in the third quarter of 2025. The two PV projects will be constructed by EXTOR Energy, an EPC contractor from Hungary. Meanwhile, Goodwood justifiably earns the title of “Home of Rolls-Royce” since no other place on Earth is entrusted with the design and hand-building of Rolls-Royce motor cars. Keeping this singularity in mind, the brand meticulously considers the building’s location in the scenic West Sussex countryside, adjacent to the South Downs National Park. In addition, the government has implemented other changes, such as the new regulator, in an attempt to achieve “a sweeping transformation” of building and fire safety standards and to hold the industry accountable. But the study did find that the new regulator should be able to test and certify construction materials; nevertheless, it has chosen not to do so. There are a number of components that are prepared to bring the railway into the West Midlands. These include three crossings, concrete finishing works and base slabs, emergency and maintenance pathways, and the mile-long twin-bore tunnel. Before the tunnel is fitted out on the inside, the complex power, track and signalling systems needed to operate the high-speed line are set up.
About The Author
