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Top 150 Consultants 2025: Are we finally heading for growth or more stagflation?
This year’s survey reveals frustration as fee income slows and margins are squeezed, but there is still hope that recent government announcements will spur growth in the year ahead and beyond. Carl Brown reports
Top 150 Consultants 2025: Assessing a year of a Labour government for construction
Only 12% of respondents to Building’s survey think Keir Starmer’s party are doing a good job in supporting the built environment. Carl Brown digs into the reasons why
Top 150 Consultants 2025: Driving efficiencies through artificial intelligence
The importance of AI and machine learning to construction continues to grow year on year. This year we asked consultants for concrete examples of efficiencies or savings enabled due to the technology. Carl Brown reports
High tech architecture pioneer Sir Nicholas Grimshaw dies aged 85 leaving global legacy
The architect behind Eden Project and Waterloo International has died, leaving a practice that exported British high tech architecture worldwide and buildings that embodied optimism in technology’s power to address challenges.
Cost model: Why London office MEP upgrades are essential
MEP systems are ageing while regulations and sustainability targets tighten. Upgrades are needed to maintain asset value and rental competitiveness
From discontented planners to a glorious summer: Leicester Cathedral’s new extension
The number of visitors to Leicester Cathedral soared following the discovery of Richard III’s tomb. The opening of a new heritage and learning centre marks the completion of Leicester cathedral’s masterplan to improve facilities for staff and visitors alike, Thomas Lane reports
Creating new ways to open up the city … Meet the woman behind London’s Open House festival
Mary Richardson caught up with Manijeh Verghese, the recently appointed chief executive of Open City, for a preview of some of the buildings in this year’s Open House festival, which starts on Saturday. She also spoke about the story of Open City, her vision for the charity, and her role ...
What does the appointment of Steve Reed as new housing secretary mean for housebuilding?
Angela Rayner’s replacement held the shadow housing brief in 2021 and now he returns to the role in government. But although he has promised to ‘build, baby, build’, Reed lacks the influence on Keir Starmer that his predecessor had
The Reform party conference: what a Farage government would mean for housing, investment and ‘net-stupid-zero’
Despite being largely overshadowed by the resignation of Angela Rayner, the two-day event in Birmingham showed a party which is evolving from a protest group into an organisation that is seriously preparing for government. Tom Lowe considers what a country led by Nigel Farage would mean for construction
How Manchester is setting the pace for regeneration and urban living
Building Design’s new UK Design Capital of the Year award, part of the Architect of the Year Awards 2025, will recognise cities for ambitious urban strategies. In this instalment, the spotlight is on Manchester, a city that stands out for the speed and scale of its reinvention
The plan to cut the gateway 2 backlog: Key points from Tuesday’s parliamentary hearings on the BSR
This week saw an unusual amount of scrutiny of the Building Safety Regulator, with committees in both the Commons and the Lords examining the issue. Daniel Gayne watched the debates to find out where the troubled institution is headed
How Glasgow is setting new standards for sensitive regeneration
Building Design’s new UK Design Capital of the Year award, part of the Architect of the Year Awards 2025, will recognise cities for ambitious urban strategies. In this instalment, the spotlight turns to Glasgow, where architects, planners and civic leaders are driving a renewed period of development
At HTA Design, they are building the case for better housing
Ben Flatman visited HTA Design’s east London studio to hear how one of the UK’s most experienced housing practices is responding to today’s complex challenges
The housing sector was happy with the spending review – but lack of transport investment could scupper its delivery in London
After setting out a vision for development centred on public transit links, the mayor of London came out of the spending review empty handed. Can London build 88,000 homes a year without new infrastructure? Daniel Gayne reports.
How Cambridge is planning for a denser and better connected future
Building Design, sister title to Building, will crown the UK Design Capital of the Year at the 2025 Architect of the Year Awards, celebrating cities with vision. The shortlist – Cambridge, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle – highlights ambitious urban strategies and bold experiments. This week Cambridge’s transformation is in the ...
Procurement update: new approaches to large London projects
Can innovative new procurement systems improve the UK’s patchy record in delivering major commercial projects on time and budget, as global uncertainties raise risks?
Who is Amy Rees? All you need to know about new Homes England chief
MHCLG’s pick to lead the government’s delivery agency came out of left field. So what do we know about the new quango boss? And what does her appointment tell us about Homes England’s future?
Cost model: Building the good manufacturing practice facilities the UK science sector needs
For the UK to achieve its goal of being a sciences superpower, it needs safe, highly controlled buildings to house research, development and manufacturing of life science products
Slowly does it: where is this elusive growth for construction?
Economic recovery is proving much slower than construction businesses had hoped but some experts point to signs the long term outlook will improve, eventually …
Pipe dreams: Why the infrastructure pipeline must improve if construction is to benefit
The launch of the infrastructure pipeline last month was hailed as a gamechanger for UK construction and investment in private finance for public infrastructure. But Joey Gardiner discovers there are serious fears that it won’t live up to the hype
How will government amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill impact development?
Plans to water down environmental protections have been tweaked in an effort to stem another backbench Labour revolt. Two lawyers on either side of the debate give their views on the implications for development as the bill works its way through Parliament
Nansledan: can design codes and long-term stewardship deliver better housing?
Mary Richardson visits Nansledan, the Duchy of Cornwall’s urban extension to Newquay in Cornwall. While its traditional architecture divides opinion, she finds that the project raises important questions about planning and designing new housing at scale
Ahead of a £1.5bn development, Populo Living shares its plan to boost regeneration in Newham
In 2018, a new mayor tasked Newham’s housing company with building more affordable homes. Seven years later, it’s getting ready for its biggest scheme yet. Daniel Gayne headed east to find out more
‘A man you can have a bit of faith in.’ How Andrew Davies turned around Kier
The firm’s chief executive has today announced his retirement. He leaves the business in a vastly different shape to the one he joined, writes Dave Rogers
The $4bn-turnover Turkish contractor building a new stadium for Luton Town
Limak’s debut job in the UK won’t be its last, the firm tells Dave Rogers
How the Treasury’s new social infrastructure PPP model will work
The infrastructure strategy has proposed allowing a form of PFI to be used in limited circumstances including healthcare centres for the first time since 2018 – but not yet revealed what the structure will be. Joey Gardiner considers the options
From the archives: Building reviews Peckham Library, 1999
Alsop & Störmer’s Stirling Prize-winning library is given a rave review by Building’s impressed, if slightly confused, architecture critic
Is the government’s Building Safety Regulator shake-up enough to fix the delays?
The government has promised to speed up approvals for high-rise residential schemes which have been languishing for up to a year in the new building safety regime. The industry’s reponse so far has been muted. With patience running out and costs mounting, Tom Lowe speaks to the people caught up ...
Market forecast: Fragile optimism emerges in the UK construction sector
For the first time since the autumn Budget, cautious optimism is emerging. While project viability remains under pressure, there are early signs of recovery
76 Upper Ground: Denys Lasdun’s 1960s South Bank vision is realised at last
The IBM Building was a cut-down version of architect Denys Lasdun’s plans for a complementary neighbour to the National Theatre on the banks of the Thames. AHMM’s recent refurbishment, which sees the building brought firmly into the 21st century, means that original vision is now complete
Why Durkan is eyeing rapid expansion through social housing stock upgrades
Contractor and housebuilder Durkan is pivoting towards improving existing stock for social landlords. Dan Germann, managing director of its rebranded Durkan Regen business, explains his plans to grow the asset regeneration arm to the tune of £100m over the next five years
Significant, welcome, sensibly cautious but most definitely promising … the experts’ verdict on the infrastructure strategy
We asked members of Building’s Funding the Future advisory panel to reflect on the government’s 10-year infrastructure strategy unveiled this month and share their views on its significance and potential as a means for unlocking the finance to get Britain building
‘This could be such a powerful platform’ … BCO’s new chief on finding a voice for a transformed sector
Under the leadership of ex-journalist Samantha McClary, the office sector’s membership body wants to be more vocal, drive data sharing and modernise the organisation
Remembering Geoffrey Trickey (1 Sept 1935 to 23 May 2025)
Paul Morrell pays tribute to the former senior partner of Davis Langdon & Everest (now part of Aecom), who died in May, just a few months short of his 90th birthday.
Why the government is looking to the Thames Tideway project for ways to fund £14.2bn Sizewell C
The private financing model known as RAB is to be used to raise cash for the new nuclear power station, reservoirs and the Lower Thames Crossing. Joey Gardiner looks at lessons learnt on the Thames Tideway project to find out why RAB is now all the rage
‘I worry for those who advocate for too much restraint’… The City’s new planning committee chair on the future of the Square Mile
Building sits down with Tom Sleigh for his first media interview after his appointment to one of the UK’s most high-profile planning roles
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5 minutes with … Tony Taylor at Etag
The CEO of the drylining, insulation and M&E solutions distributor on growing the business, the need for a change of approach from the government, his admiration for people who push the boundaries and why he doesn’t have a smartwatchThe
5 minutes with … David Meecham at TLT
The head of the housing and regeneration team on doing the right thing, having no regrets, making the industry more inclusive and why it takes him ages to leave parties
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