Andy Burnham’s triple helix growth model risks being undermined by fuel, food and finance headwinds
The UK economy has been remarkably resilient this year, but the barriers to growth are getting bigger. That is bad news for investment, says Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
The planning system needs to take viability more seriously
Residential development is unviable in nearly half of England. Government must either reduce build costs by removing regulation or subsidise development from the public purse, argues Paul Smith
Ambitious new housing developments are nothing without the infrastructure to support them
Infrastructure must stop being viewed as a secondary consideration, argues Tom O’Brien
How a government-backed remediation loan facility could break building safety deadlock
The Building Safety Act identifies who should pay for historic defects but not what happens when culpable parties simply don’t have the money. Construction lawyer Francis Ho proposes a radical solution
Can UK data centres meet AI demand without increasing water stress?
Water consumption in AI data centres is frequently misunderstood, say Nick Remington of PolarDC and Simon Wyatt of Cundall. With the right cooling strategies, site selection and energy sourcing, the UK can expand its digital infrastructure without a corresponding rise in water use
The Nature Restoration Fund - a viable way to meet environmental obligations?
The government’s plan is intended to allow developers to pay into a fund instead of directly delivering mitigation works. Sophie Henwood looks at its chances of success and finds it is anything but straightforward
Burnham-inspired regional leadership must keep net zero moving
Louis Saunderson argues that regional leaders must continue advancing sustainability regardless of political turbulence
How do firms manage risk in a riskier world?
It is entirely possible that the first name on the team sheet in the future will be the risk manager, writes Iain Parker
Keeping up the momentum on gender diversity in construction
Momentum must translate into visible change on site, argues Desiree Blamey
How Hospital 2.0 can change the way we build healthcare in the UK
Willmott Dixon chief executive Graham Dundas explains how the Hospital 2.0 Alliance is changing the way major NHS schemes are procured, delivered and learned from - starting with a new hospital in Truro.
Does the Commercial Payments Bill address construction’s greatest payment challenges?
Removing retentions, introducing tighter payment deadlines and strengthening enforcement should improve payment practices across the industry. The question is whether the changes are enough to address the problems which the industry says matter most, David Crosthwaite writes
Why built environment employers need psychological and psychosocial safety
Stress, anxiety and silence are not just wellbeing concerns in construction - they are safety risks. Sue Elabor at Blueprint for All Consulting explains why employers must address both psychological safety and the structural conditions that shape it
The government is right to be more interventionist on planning
Governments have tried assuming every council will plan maturely and conscientiously. But this hasn’t worked so Matthew Pennycook’s more robust approach is needed, writes Paul Smith.
Is a withdrawal of credit insurance cover construction’s ‘canary in the coalmine’?
The withdrawal of trade credit cover has historically preceded high-profile corporate collapses - and now construction’s SME supply chains are at risk, warns Julie Palmer of BTG
Construction’s talent pipeline has been hiding in schools for years
The skills debate is back. But Class Of Your Own founder Alison Watson argues that construction already has a proven education pipeline – and that industry categorisation and schools policy have combined to keep it invisible
How insolvency affects dispute resolution
When a dispute involves an insolvent party, the challenge is not so much obtaining a ruling as enforcing it
What happens when an adjudicator disagrees with both parties about the very basis of their disagreement?
The parties disagreed on what the contract said about damages – but the adjudicator ruled it said nothing at all
Corporate structure no longer a shield for manufacturers
A landmark Building Safety Act ruling makes manufacturers and suppliers still liable for defective products sold in the UK, even if their UK subsidiary has gone bust or they are based overseas
Planners can’t assume demolition is less green
Nicholle Kingsley on a new ruling that proves demolition is not automatically the less sustainable option
The how and why of collaborative contracting
Richard Adams unpacks the trend towards greater collaboration in the UK construction industry’s procurement and contractual models
Don’t get caught out by AI hallucinations
A solicitors firm got a flea in its ear after submitting AI hallucinations in court papers – but proper penalties are needed
