Opinion
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CommentA year after the general election, what progress are we making towards 1.5 million homes?
Today (Friday) marks a year since Labour won a historic landslide in the general election. Paul Smith assesses how the government has fared against its key housing delivery pledge
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CommentOut of the shadows: Why gender equity must underpin the future of the built environment
A diverse and inclusive working enviornment is no longer a “nice-to-have” but now a necessity for a business to thrive, says Vanessa Murray, founder and director of The Circle Partnership
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CommentBuilding momentum: Why it is up to us to inspire the next generation
Government funding is obviously important but it is only by going into schools, mentoring potential recruits and making practical experience more widely available alongside formal education that the construction industry will change perceptions and open up the sector to the talent of the future
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CommentUnlocking London’s unique development challenges opens up a wealth of opportunities
Creative solutions are required to deal with some highly constrained sites and deliver much-needed residential development in the capital, says HDR’s Peter Watkins
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CommentThis is a key time for our industry, but we must improve our practices to make the most of it
The government is clear that construction has a vital role to play in delivering its growth agenda. It is up to us to make sure we do so safely and successfully, says Mark Reynolds
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CommentSmall projects can have a big impact in pursuit of net zero and housebuilding goals
Any attempt to hit housing and carbon reduction targets depends on businesses of every size playing their part – and technology can help, writes WSP’s Diego Padilla-Philipps
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CommentThe construction industry needs a Building Safety Regulator that is fit for purpose
The government must get its house in order and act to remove the gateway 2 bottleneck, says Tom Dodson
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CommentThe infrastructure strategy opens the door to private finance
Last week’s infrastructure strategy put off a final decision about using private finance for social infrastructure until the autumn. But, Joey Gardiner writes, it has still set out an important principle that such schemes are not entirely off-limits
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CommentWe must go back to basics to keep the talent within our industry
Workers are motivated more than ever to look for – and stay with – employers whose values align with their own, says Eleanor Thomas of Southern Construction Framework
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CommentDevolution can be a catalyst to unlock private finance
As part of Building’s Funding the Future series, Stuart Howie, principal and head of regeneration at Avison Young, considers the role of devolved authorities in attracting investment
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CommentLabour must shore up materials security or fall short of infrastructure strategy ambitions
By importing key construction materials such as cement, the infrastructure strategy faces potential disruption due to supply chain bottlenecks and geopolitical issues. Diana Casey, executive director at the Mineral Products Association, makes the case for a thriving domestic industry
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CommentConstruction must start facing up to new labour pains
The government is stuck in a spending straitjacket of its own making. However, borrowing for investment will help to sustain future workload for construction, writes Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis
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CommentThe chancellor’s £39bn boost buys time for social housing – now innovative private finance models must help deliver at scale
The Labour government is prioritising funding for grant-heavy, and much-needed, social rented homes while also promising to ramp up delivery to 1.5 million homes a year. Innovation to draw in private finance can help square the circle, says Carl Brown
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CommentA week in the world of main contracting
Sluggish output data masks signs of some real ambition among some top tier contractors
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CommentWe need more than warm words if we want to save the high street
The demand is there for a broader range of uses but the government has a vital role to play in revitalising our town and village centres, writes Richard Steer
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CommentIt’s time to rethink design and construction education
Our industry is full of specialists who tend to be siloed in their thinking. A new qualification at the University of Leeds aims to produce graduates with a broader range of skills across architecture, building services and structural engineering, writes course leader Justin Lunn
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CommentThe genie is out of the bottle – what next for commercial property in the capital?
The City of London’s workspace market has weathered a turbulent few years, but shifting workplace strategies and sustainability-driven renovations are shaping a resilient, adaptable future for the capital’s offices, says Chris White of CPMG Architects
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CommentIf I were the chancellor… (or how to finance infrastructure when there’s not enough money)
Bold action will be required if the government is to deliver on its eagerly anticipated infrastructure strategy. Some kind of public-private partnership could well be the best way forward, writes Beth West
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CommentCan the next London Plan deliver what the city’s residents really need?
Ben Derbyshire reflects on Sadiq Khan’s latest policies to boost housebuilding in the capital
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CommentWhy puddles are the latest in a long list of obstacles to building the homes we need
The planning system no longer recognises the difference between rivers and puddles and this must be fixed, says Paul Smith