Opinion

Claire Atkins is a partner in the construction team at law firm Broadfield Like many, I would feel a moment of joy on seeing nesting falcons or bats in their natural habitat. However, the thought of protected wildlife on a construction site makes my heart sink for the developer.  Under…

Penny Rinta-Suksi is a partner at law firm Blake Morgan If the government’s latest Spending Review is anything to go by, the momentum behind the next generation of public-private partnerships (PPPs) is showing no signs of slowing.   “Those of us who provide legal advice on PFIs see the same mistakes…

Max Hayes is a research associate at investment bank Cavendish For years, UK construction has been perceived as a risky sector, with high-profile corporate collapses reinforcing investor sentiment that risks outweigh the rewards. Today, the sector’s fundamental risk profile is undergoing a transformation and the markets have yet to catch…

Soorya Sasidharan is associate director of risk management at consultancy Linesight The UK’s life sciences sector is experiencing rapid expansion, fuelled by increased demand for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and growing government support. However, these facilities must be constructed in line with tight regulatory frameworks, under strict quality controls and…

Bill Barton is a director at Barton Legal It’s no secret that British contractors have faced a turbulent time of late. There are a number of reasons for that, not least the same high interest rates and general economic sluggishness that are impacting businesses all across the UK. Those challenges…

Geraint Lewis is a VAT director with Moore Kingston Smith A flurry of recent cases has shown that the construction industry is in HMRC’s crosshairs. The tax body appears to be pursuing compliant businesses for sums owed by others. This initiative is part of a battle between HMRC and fraudsters…

Arron Jameson is head of projects at Keyline Civils Specialist, a subsidiary of Travis Perkins The government has pledged £725bn to civils spending over the next decade, in a welcome boost to our industry. The 10-year Infrastructure Strategy presents a significant opportunity for the construction sector to fuel long-term growth,…

Rob Driscoll is the director of legal and business at the Electrical Contractors’ Association The government’s latest proposals to tackle late payments represent the most ambitious legislative overhaul in over a century. For the construction industry, where withheld retentions, long payment terms and cascading insolvencies are routine, this could be…

Gill McAteer, director of employment law at Citation For years, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has been viewed by some in construction as something separate from the operational pressures of project delivery. But the evidence now tells a different story. And more leaders across the sector are recognising that EDI…

Lauren Walker is managing director of Aluminium Fire Systems The construction industry has seen a lot of change in the last couple of decades, whether it’s changing from manual to digital tools or letting go of unfair terms and conditions and finally giving subcontractors some authority. However, what the industry…