Agenda: Construction Manager insights | Construction News https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/ Read UK Construction Industry News, Analysis, Opinion and data Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:30:04 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://cdn.ca.emap.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/07/favicon-cn192-70x70.png Agenda: Construction Manager insights | Construction News https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/ 32 32 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/wp-content/themes/mbm-mops-2017/images/logo.gif Construction News https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/ 125 75 Read UK Construction Industry News, Analysis, Opinion and data Should you bail out your own business? https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/should-you-bail-out-your-own-business-19-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/should-you-bail-out-your-own-business-19-02-2026/#respond Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:30:04 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=532880 Vijay Merchant is a partner at consultancy BTG Advisory When construction firms face tough times, the founders or families that own them often deliberate on whether they should use their own funds to prop the business up. But before investing, they must consider what strategic…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/should-you-bail-out-your-own-business-19-02-2026/feed/ 0 Why subsidence jobs keep ending up the same way https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/why-subsidence-jobs-keep-ending-up-the-same-way-18-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/why-subsidence-jobs-keep-ending-up-the-same-way-18-02-2026/#respond Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:04:43 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=535948 Sarah Dodd is the founder and chief executive of legal firm Tree Law  Subsidence work rarely arrives clean. By the time a contractor is involved, the argument has usually been half-fought already. The insurer has accepted liability; the tree is staying; and a substructure solution…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/why-subsidence-jobs-keep-ending-up-the-same-way-18-02-2026/feed/ 0 Smart moves: the man overseeing Balfour Beatty’s AI plan https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/interviews/smart-moves-the-man-overseeing-balfour-beattys-ai-plan-18-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/interviews/smart-moves-the-man-overseeing-balfour-beattys-ai-plan-18-02-2026/#respond Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:03:20 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=536055 Meet the man overseeing Balfour Beatty’s multimillion-pound plan to harness AI to drive a ‘productivity revolution’

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/interviews/smart-moves-the-man-overseeing-balfour-beattys-ai-plan-18-02-2026/feed/ 0 The importance of third party agreements in construction projects https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/the-importance-of-third-party-agreements-in-construction-projects-16-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/the-importance-of-third-party-agreements-in-construction-projects-16-02-2026/#respond Mon, 16 Feb 2026 12:26:11 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=535622 Hayley Steel (above left) is a partner and head of non-contentious construction, and Simone Protheroe is managing associate in the projects, infrastructure and construction team at law firm Foot Anstey Construction projects often include parties with differing interests entering into agreements with a developer. Examples…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/legal/the-importance-of-third-party-agreements-in-construction-projects-16-02-2026/feed/ 0 Apprenticeships: A view from the inside https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/skills/apprenticeships-a-view-from-the-inside-13-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/skills/apprenticeships-a-view-from-the-inside-13-02-2026/#respond Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:45:10 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=538101 There were 24,590 new construction apprentices taken on in 2024/25, the first annual rise in three years, according to a report from professional tool supplier Protrade. At the same time, it was a record year for women beginning apprenticeships in the sector, with a 9…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/skills/apprenticeships-a-view-from-the-inside-13-02-2026/feed/ 0 National Apprenticeship Week: A celebration of construction apprentices https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/national-apprenticeship-week-a-celebration-of-construction-apprentices-13-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/national-apprenticeship-week-a-celebration-of-construction-apprentices-13-02-2026/#respond Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:52:07 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=538116 Tim Balcon is chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board This National Apprenticeship Week, let’s make an effort as an industry to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships and skills make to individuals, construction employers and the wider construction industry. “As…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/national-apprenticeship-week-a-celebration-of-construction-apprentices-13-02-2026/feed/ 0 The major shake-up tackling the rising skills gap across the UK https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/the-major-shake-up-tackling-the-rising-skills-gap-across-the-uk-12-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/the-major-shake-up-tackling-the-rising-skills-gap-across-the-uk-12-02-2026/#respond Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:18:34 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=538027 Tom O’Brien is director at O’Brien Contractors Fittingly announced during National Apprenticeship Week 2026, the government has unveiled new plans to help tackle the rising construction skills gap across the UK. As part of the new Education Estates Strategy, the plans are set to create…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/the-major-shake-up-tackling-the-rising-skills-gap-across-the-uk-12-02-2026/feed/ 0 Apprenticeships: Why the dropout rate is so high and how we can reduce it https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/apprenticeships-why-the-dropout-rate-is-so-high-and-how-we-can-reduce-it-11-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/apprenticeships-why-the-dropout-rate-is-so-high-and-how-we-can-reduce-it-11-02-2026/#respond Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:46:28 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=537950 Ryan Paterson is managing director at Dart Tool Group The British trade sector is facing a crisis. On one hand, demand for skilled labour is at an all-time high, driven by a national push for new homes and a massive transition towards green infrastructure. On…

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/long-reads/opinion/apprenticeships-why-the-dropout-rate-is-so-high-and-how-we-can-reduce-it-11-02-2026/feed/ 0 Bringing Orkney’s wind power to the mainland https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/project-reports/bringing-orkneys-wind-power-to-the-mainland-10-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/project-reports/bringing-orkneys-wind-power-to-the-mainland-10-02-2026/#respond Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:00:03 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=536093 The construction of a new substation in Orkney will help bring 220 megawatts of renewable energy from across the North Sea to the British mainland

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]]> https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/project-reports/bringing-orkneys-wind-power-to-the-mainland-10-02-2026/feed/ 0 PAS 9980: is mandation of the fire safety standard a bad idea? https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/buildings/building-safety/pas-9980-is-mandation-of-the-fire-safety-standard-a-bad-idea-06-02-2026/ https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/buildings/building-safety/pas-9980-is-mandation-of-the-fire-safety-standard-a-bad-idea-06-02-2026/#respond Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:59:34 +0000 https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/?p=537408 The industry is divided over whether the fire safety guidance offers a realistic response to the building safety crisis

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