An estimated 700,000 pupils are still being taught in schools in England in dire need of major repairs or refurbishment. The growing backlog of schools in need of urgent repairs was highlighted in the findings of a damning parliamentary inquiry into the condition of the school estate. Spending watchdog MPs on the Public Accounts Committee

Corby based groundworks specialist NRI Civils Ltd has gone into administration. The firm had worked at a Barratt housing job in Cambridgeshire where 83 new homes are being demolished because of faulty foundations. Problems were found earlier this year with new homes under construction at the Darwin Green site where Barratt David Wilson Homes Cambridgeshire

The owners of Hampshire based contractor Brymor Group Southern have suddenly made half their staff redundant. The Enquirer has seen the letter sent to around 30 staff last week telling them they no longer have jobs as the company restructures amid a work drought. Workers affected are understood to be at all levels from directors

London has seen the highest volume of new office starts on record – with 5.1m sq ft of construction starting across 43 projects. Of these projects, five major schemes over 300,000 sq ft represented 40% of the total new start volume. According to Deloitte’s Winter London Office Crane Survey refurbishment starts specifically have broken records