Sellafield readies £250m construction contract

The Penrith-based housebuilder closed its doors on Friday leaving 17 staff redundant after a proposed takeover of the firm fell through due to the impact of Covid-19. 

Allerdale Council has approved the housebuilder’s plans to build a mix of houses and bungalows on the north-eastern edge of the Cumbrian town.

Contractor Eric Wright Group has lifted into place the £5m bridge to replace the 250-year old stone crossing that washed away during Storm Desmond in 2015. 

Preston-based contractor Eric Wright Group has restarted work to build a replacement bridge across the River Eamont in Cumbria, following a month-long break due to the pandemic. 

The Daniel Thwaites-owned hotel, which overlooks Lake Windermere on a six-acre site, will close in April ahead of an extensive refurbishment which will cost between £6m and £15m and could take up to 18 months.

The Home Group is planning to put in an application this month for a 65-apartment extra care development at Lightfoot Drive, aiming to start on site in the summer and complete by spring 2022.

Caddick Construction has started on site at Chancerygate’s Gateway 44 retail park in Carlisle.

The North West scooped the highest value of infrastructure contract awards in 2019 of all UK regions, thanks mainly to the £1.5bn Sellafield decommissioning project, according to data analyst Barbour ABI.

Allerdale Council has said there are "no deadlines, no plans and no aspirations" to bring forward fresh proposals for a stadium in Workington after a £29m scheme was pulled last year.