Sir Michael Pitt, currently Chair of the Infrastructure Planning Commission will become Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate when Katrine Sporle, the Inspectorate’s Chief Executive, retires at the end of March. 

Engineering and construction business Costain has announced a strong performance, a significant increase in profit before tax, a robust order book and further potential acquisitions in the pipeline with the publication of its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2010.

The Government has said this morning that Thames Water needs to do a significant amount of further work on its Water Resources Management Plan for 2010-2035.

A new report says that investments in forest conservation can save money in the provision of clean water – by treating water at up to one-seventh of the cost per thousand gallons of conventional wastewater treatment systems.

The independent Northern Ireland Utility Regulator, responsible for regulating the electricity, gas, water and sewerage industries in Northern Ireland, today publishes its report into NI Water’s handling of the freeze/thaw incident, which led to water supply disruptions for around 450,000 consumers, during the December 2010-January 2011 period.

Balfour Beatty plc has published its full-year results for the year ended 31 December 2010. The international infrastructure group said the results demonstrated a resilient performance in challenging markets.

The Northern Ireland Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has today published its report into Measuring Performance, Procurement and Governance in NI Water.

Outsourcing and infrastructure company Interserve Plc has confirmed that it has made an approach to the Board of Mouchel with a proposal to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Mouchel.