Opinion

Mark Lane, director at consultancy DPP Planning It’s nearly a year since Labour took office, and in that time it has made sweeping changes to the planning system. This government is promising to tackle the housing crisis and deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years – an ambitious…

James Fiske is executive director at the Building Cost Information Service Labour’s first multi-year Spending Review is fast approaching and, with it, an opportunity to supercharge demand and investment in construction. Top priorities must include demystifying the infrastructure pipeline and addressing the skilled labour shortage, but the government should also…

Alex Delin is a partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell April saw the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) release a judgment in Jaevee Homes Ltd v Fincham [2025] EWHC 942 (TCC), which concerned how WhatsApp communications could constitute a contract between parties to a construction project.  “It would have been…

Amy Dickinson is director of environmental, social and governance for Europe and Africa at consulting and engineering firm Egis The UK is considering a significant policy shift. From November this year, nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) are expected to be mandated to deliver a minimum 10 per cent biodiversity net…

Robin Castle is a project management partner at Hartnell Taylor Cook The construction sector has been in the hot seat in recent years. Grenfell rightly spurred on greater regard for building safety, culminating in the Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022, while the 2023 updates to the 2010 building regulations also…

Graham Rothwell is the owner of Rothwell Plumbing Services Group and is part of Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Retrofit Task Force Support is growing to decarbonise homes, but accelerating retrofitting needs to go hand in hand with improving installer skills and educating residents. “We are increasingly having to rectify basic…

Alex Wright is national business development director at Tarmac  With the onset of global trade wars, our world is becoming more transactional in search of a deal. Yet, whatever sector you work in, business always works better and delivers more value for everyone when it prioritises long-term customer and supply…

Lucy Trott is managing associate and Gwilym Evans is senior associate at Stevens & Bolton The UK construction industry is navigating turbulent waters. Inflation and interest rates remain high, while regulatory burdens are also increasing, causing additional costs and pressures on construction businesses. However, there is an overlooked triple threat…

Stephen Tomkins is Balfour Beatty’s project director at Hinkley Point C The UK’s energy market stands at a critical juncture. As the country accelerates its transition towards renewables, the demand for skilled professionals has never been greater. However, the industry faces an undeniable challenge: a widening skills gap that threatens…

James Farr, director at post-16 skills and training consultancy Think  In the construction industry, facing complex challenges is part of the daily routine, whether it’s managing budgets, navigating supply chains or ensuring a project is built to the highest standard. But there’s another pressing puzzle that must be solved to…