United Utilities is planning a £125m scheme to build a 54km water pipeline linking Liverpool and Bury.

Infrastructure consultant Mouchel said today that orders in the year to date had fallen 8.7%, mainly due to the loss of the contract to maintain the M25.

Housing starts for 2008 are forecast to be the lowest since 1945 according to the latest Construction Output Forecasts from the Construction Products Association.

Moves to make Birmingham a 24-hour cosmopolitan city by floodlighting prominent buildings have been unveiled by the city council.