The government has launched a consultation on the first of five proposed PFI prisons, on the site of the former Runwell hospital in Essex. Public views will be sought on plans to build a 1,500-capacity jail as part of a wave of new facilities intended to cope with prison overcrowding in the UK. Read more: http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284&storycode=3151496&c=0#ixzz0UeKAR0Se Join discussion...

Crossrail, the proposed £16bn Heathrow-to-Essex rail link, could be saved by the specialist bank set up by the Treasury to bail out the beleaguered private finance initiative (PFI). Speculation has mounted that Crossrail's scheduled 2017 opening will have to be postponed as the private sector struggles to raise its £6bn contribution in the current market. However, the so-called "PFI bank", which was set up earlier this year, could see its remit expanded to include Crossrail. Join discussion...

The company has cited bidding costs, but this explanation has baffled officials within Essex County Council. Despite a request to work up designs for four sample schools, which was an increase from the original request for three designs, the additional design was a an extension to a brand new sample school. Join discussion...