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Small and medium businesses continue to have a strong level of confidence in their future business prospects, statistical information released by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) was able to reveal. The group’s confidence-measuring index registered plus 41 in the third quarter – the first time that sentiment has reached this level – with every sector recording a positive outlook for the next three months.

A UK multi-channel supplier of trade tools, accessories and hardware products has revealed plans to create 900 new jobs and open 50 new stores next year, a recent news report on the matter was able to reveal. Screwfix, who has recently opened its 360th store, serves over 4 million customers and employs over 6,000 staff. The announcement was made during a recent visit by Chancellor George Osbourne, as part of his Great British Brands tour.

£525m in funding have been made available to the construction industry by the UK Government via the Builders Finance Fund in a bid to help bolster the construction efforts around the country, a recent media report on the matter was able to reveal. The cash would be used for building up to 12,000 new homes, accelerating construction on the first wave of sites with potential to support nearly 13,000 new jobs.

The large majority of small and medium businesses across the North West of England are worried about their “digital future” and strongly believe that they will need enhanced or increased digital capabilities in the next three years to cope with the ever-changing business landscape.

Construction work has started on a new housing development in Devonport called ‘Emerge’, that’s being created by Linden Homes and DCH, a recent news report on the matter was able to reveal. The redevelopment marks the last significant phase of Linden Homes and DCH’s work in the Devonport Development Framework following on from Evolve, which when complete this year, will have delivered 219 new homes overall, including 90 affordable homes.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has recently announced a new partnership with the London Enterprise Panel that aims to directly address the increasing shortage of construction skills in the Greater London Area. Research and forecasts estimate that an average of just under 1,300 new skilled construction workers will be required in Greater London every year through to 2019. Around 6,450 new workers in total will be required over the five year period (2015 -2019).

Stress-related absence has risen by 70 per cent across public sector workers in the East of England, recent analysis by the BBC was able to reveal. After going through data from more than 100 FOI (Freedom of Information requests), days lost by East of England Ambulance medical staff to stress-related sickness absence has grown from 1,948 in 2009 to 6,106 in 2013, or a 213 per cent increase.

British companies in general and services firms in particular are planning to go on a hiring spree over the next three months, figures obtained from BDO’s latest jobs index were able to suggest. The accountancy firm revealed that its jobs index for July, which measures hiring plans over the next three months, was at its highest level since 1998. Furthermore, an increase in the rate of job creation is expected for the rest of the year, the survey found.

Private sector building has managed to lead the way in the housing sector’s growth across the whole of the UK over the last quarter, the latest statistical figures supplied by the NHBC were able to point out. The total number of new homes registered across both the private and public sectors in the UK for Q2 2014 totalled 36,858, the majority of which were in the private sector – a healthy 9% compared to same period last year.

A major redevelopment project that will see the whole area north of the Royal Albert Dock turned into a modern new business and cultural zone has received planning permission from the Newham council, a recent media news report was able to reveal. The hybrid application made by ABP (London) Investment Limited will see the delivery of a comprehensive business-led mixed used development of more than 370,000 sq. m, including up to 845 new homes.

The Mayor of London has allocated more than 50 housing providers funding worth £404m for building more than 45,000 homes in London boroughs by 2018, a news report in the local business media was able to reveal.

Apprenticeships will play a very important role in the future of the building sector. In fact, they are "essential to the future wellbeing of the construction industry," the Government’s Chief Construction Advisor said at a reception hosted by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.