The revised planning framework is not as bad as feared - but don’t thank Gove
The new national planning policy document will still lead to fewer homes being built, even if some of the most egregious proposals around density and green belt have been watered down, says Joey Gardiner
Why 2024 is the year to embrace circular economic models
Making cyclical construction a sector-wide objective would help meet decarbonisation objectives and strengthen supply chains, providing certainty to deliver infrastructure projects at the scale the UK needs, writes Joanne Conway
The UK is setting the standard for energy-efficient homes – but there is still some way to go
The latest update to the Future Homes and Buildings Standard is demanding, comprehensive and will shape our industry for years, but it still gives cause for concern, writes Alan Fogarty
Where do we go from here? Six predictions for 2024
The turn of the year is a traditional time to consider what may happen in the 12 months ahead. These industry experts share their thoughts
Introducing prediction for designing climate-resilient infrastructure
Construction has traditionally relied on precedence to prepare for events that may affect our buildings, but the past is no longer a reliable indicator to the future, writes John Rees of COWI in the UK
Why do we keep missing the government’s housing delivery target?
The housing market is not dysfunctional, it is the planning system that is holding back development, writes Paul Smith
This is how we can rise to the retrofit challenge
Is retrofit just a buzzword and an oversold solution for reaching sustainability goals? Not if we can avoid using excessive amounts of steel or diverting high amounts of material to landfill when we repurpose our buildings, writes Mark Swetman.
Is 2024 already lost to dithering and delay?
The last few years have not been easy but we will have to wait a little longer before the outlook starts to improve, writes Richard Steer
How the next government can meet the needs of the construction industry
The future of the built environment is inextricably linked to the policies and commitments made by political parties. The next general election cannot come soon enough, says Thomas Vandecasteele
How to survive 2024
Our Top 150 Contractors and Housebuilders data shows firms under pressure and preparing for a difficult year to come
Construction industry gossip: All the fashion
The latest chatter around the industry
London’s old problems require new solutions
The capital is congested, polluted and expensive but, thanks to the insight and ingenuity that its people possess, the way it functions can be mended, writes Sadie Morgan
Six ways to improve procurement
In the light of recent headlines about the contractor sector and unsustainable margins, Mike Turner has six key recommendations
We are boxed in by bonds and the chancellor’s promises
Jeremy Hunt’s success in calming financial markets with the autumn statement leaves a lot of unanswered questions observes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
Industry should look in the mirror: Laing O’Rourke’s losses do no one any good
A personal disaster for the UK’s biggest private contractor is also a window into where contracting seems to be right now, writes Dave Rogers
The construction year ahead: what can we expect in 2024?
Sheena Sood previews the year ahead in construction law, with some major legislative, contractual and policy changes looming
How a new model law can provide oven-ready adjudication
Tony Bingham salutes the new ISAF model law on statutory adjudication, which is designed to be adopted by any country
Hitting the high spots: 2023 in construction law
The legal highlights of 2023 include a case on a high-up viewing platform and a new regime for high-rise residences
Navigating NABERS
The shift to performance-based environmental rating systems such as NABERS UK presents several contractual challenges
Deliberate landbanking by housebuilders is a myth
The suggestion that housebuilders deliberately landbank is, to put it bluntly, poppycock, writes John Wallace
The top causes of UK disputes? Incorrect design and poor workmanship
While research reveals design errors are a top issue globally, the UK is unusually prone to poor workmanship disputes – but has fewer claims related to project management
Report on adjudication reveals growing popularity but also demand for change
A new report on statutory adjudication reveals most survey respondents want redacted decisions published and a quarter suspect adjudicator bias
Adjudication: it isn’t always pay now, argue later
The loser in an adjudication case can seek a stay of payment if it plans to appeal and the winner is financially unstable
PFI project handbacks to the public sector – what we’ve learned so far
The first wave of handbacks give clear pointers for the rest of the PFI projects due to be handed back over the next few years
Defining ‘without predudice’ in construction contracts
The case of AZ vs BY casts light on the principle of without-prejudice privilege and its importance
