The UK Construction Blog

Twenty thousand flood defence and clean-up bags were distributed from Cockermouth and Keswick yesterday. The Floodsax are full of absorbent crystals that soak up water and work in a similar way to conventional sandbags, but are far lighter. They will help offer householders protection against any future risk of flooding and will also help in the clean up operation.

The free bags are being distributed to the public from Mitchell’s Lakeland Livestock Centre (the cattle market) in Cockermouth and from the car park at the rear of Keswick police station. Two articulated lorries, each containing 10,000 Floodsax will be distributed to local people from 9am onwards today.

Floodsax are available to buy in the UK from ConstructionStore.co.uk in boxes of 20 FloodSax or 200 Floodsax (10 boxes).

Find them here

BAA has announced a proposed injection of £500m into its London portfolio.

Some £200m of the new equity will come from shareholders and £300 million from BAA Airports Limited and FGP Topco Limited. According to a statement from the group, the funding will be used to “pay down debt, strengthen the group’s medium-term financial ratios and facilitate its access to the capital markets.”

Of the £500m, £260m was paid to the group on Friday and the remaining £240m is expected to be injected in January 2010.