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House builder Taylor Wimpey has seen ‘continued stability’ in the UK housing market since April, the firm announced today. Order books stand at £971 million up 73 per cent from its 2008 year end figure of £562 million, which the firm said ‘represents good progress in current market conditions’. In a trading statement to the stock exchange today the firm said: “We have been encouraged by the ongoing stability in the housing market, but remain cautious with regard to the prospects of the wider economy and in particular, the potential rising of unemployment. “We will retain focus our focus particularly on cost reduction until the profile of any recovery becomes clearer.” The firm said it would look to increase the number of outlet openings during the second half of the year if current market stability is sustained. It added: “Whilst we remain cautious on land buying, opportunities are starting to emerge to purchase good quality land at prices that should be value creating for Taylor Wimpey.” It currently operates from 337 outlets down slightly on 386 at the end of December 2008. Taylor Wimpey said: “We have strengthened our financial position significantly during the first half of 2009, having agreed the restructuring of our debt facilities and successfully completed our Placing and Open Offer to raise net proceeds of £510 million.” Taylor Wimpey said that stability in the US ‘gives cause for optimism’ but the Spanish market continues to be weak and its planned exit from the Gibraltar market remains on course.   The firm will announce its half year results for the six months ending 30 June 2009 on 5 August 2009. (c) Construction News Plus

Taylor Wimpey upbeat as housing market shows signs of stability

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Contractor green demands to be ignored

Almost 900 construction workers at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire have been sacked, after taking unofficial strike action. Last week, around 1,200 workers walked out in a dispute over 51 redundancies at a new plant they were constructing next to the existing site. The strikers claimed Total, which owns the refinery, had broken an agreement not to axe any jobs. However, the French company denies this claim, and said the cuts were necessary because part of the project had been completed. In a statement, the firm said: "Total can confirm, with regret, that our contractors have now started the process of ending the current employment contracts for their workforce on the HDS-3 construction project. "Total repeatedly sought to encourage the workforce to return to work so that proper negotiations can take place. "This is in line with the union and industry agreed process that negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work." A protest group has gathered outside the Lindsey refinery, according to the BBC. A Unite spokesman said: "We are extremely concerned about the ramifications of the employers' actions. "We are urging all parties to get back around the negotiating table to resolve this situation." GMB general secretary Paul Kenney said: "Total have not tried to resolve this dispute, they sought to escalate it and they have sought to victimise people. "I'm appealing to Total to actually come to the table and help the unions resolve it." The unofficial strike at Lindsey had spread to several other plants: Drax and Eggborough in Yorkshire; Ratcliffe in Nottinghamshire; Saltend refinery, near Hull; BOC oxygen plant at Scunthorpe; Fiddlers Ferry in Cheshire; and Aberthaw in south Wales. Text messages are reportedly being sent to other workers around the country, encourage them to come out on strike in sympathy with the sacked workers, according to the BBC.

900 striking construction workers sacked by Total

88,000 new recruits needed each year to fill 'skills gap'

A former president of the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) has been made an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.

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