Construction of the 170-tonne ‘liner cup’ at Hinkley Point C’s second reactor has been completed in 39 days, 30% quicker than on reactor one, EDF Energy has said. The cup, the base for the reactor’s steel containment, is being prefabricated in five parts and lifted into place by ‘Big Carl’, the world’s largest crane. This innovation means welding can take place in covered bunkers protected from weather, improving quality and efficiency, according to EDF.
Everton Football Club has unveiled final designs for its 52,000-seater stadium ahead of a detailed planning application to Liverpool City Council. Designed by MEIS architects, the new designs take into account consultation feedback from heritage bodies, with a river-facing stepped plaza outside the stadium’s west stand and a slight reduction in the overall height of the stadium in line with world heritage site guidance.
Coronavirus-related food shortages prompted contractor J Murphy & Sons’ North Bristol project team to set up a site allotment. They planted a wide variety of vegetables and have employed a local chef made redundant as a result of the pandemic to use the fresh produce in the site canteen.
BAM has completed work for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to build two new wharfs at separate locations in the Antarctic. BAM, supported by Sweco and technical advisor Ramboll, constructed a new £40m, 74m wharf at Rothera Research Station over 18 months, to moor the new polar ship, the RSS Sir David Attenborough. Meanwhile, the £11m wharf at King Edward Point research station on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia was built in 108 days.
Contractor Tolent has completed the steel frame for a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel in Durham and is now in the process of building the steel frame for a block containing 153 build-to-rent apartments. The firm started an £84.5m contract to build the 41,800 sq m mixed-use development in June last year. The site, on the banks of the river Wear, is surrounded by a 236m retaining wall.
The A68 near Fala in Scotland has been repaired in under a month after part of the trunk road was destroyed in a storm in the early hours of 12 August. A 20m-high embankment collapsed, leaving a large gap in the carriageway. Road maintenance firm Bear Scotland cleared and stabilised the site and used an estimated 5,000 tonnes of rock to rebuild the embankment before resurfacing the road and adding a safety barrier and other road furniture.
