Opinion – Page 2
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CommentRegen Connect: joining the dots between local ambition and industry delivery
At a pivotal moment for urban regeneration, Building’s editor Chloe McCulloch introduces a new editorial campaign designed to connect local priorities with the industry expertise needed to deliver real change
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CommentWhy Network Rail should pay heed to John McAslan’s light-touch Liverpool Street station redevelopment plan
It has been arguably the most chaotic development process of any major project in the UK over the past decade but the latest proposals could well be the best way forward, says Tom Lowe
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CommentWe can solve the UK’s housing crisis by protecting smaller builders
The backbone of postwar Britain’s vast housebuilding drive, small builders now face extinction as regulatory barriers and policy layering make it ever harder for them to compete, build and survive. Hugo Owen has some solutions
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CommentUK data centres: How to close the delivery gap
Our ability to meet the almost insatiable demand for more data centres in the UK is being tested to the limits. Ed Phillips, partner at Wedlake Bell, assesses the challenges in front of us
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CommentMore optimism means more architects: Why the big practices are getting bigger
The latest survey of top architecture firms for Building’s sister title Building Design shows recruitment at the top 10 practices is increasing faster than elsewhere as they take advantage of growing markets in North Africa and the Middle East. Thomas Lane crunches the data
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CommentCity slickers stuck in the sidings: London’s commercial market could do with a leg up
Funders weigh up risks, developers push back start dates and contractors fret about workloads, writes Dave Rogers
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CommentHow housebuilders can take a sustainable approach to placemaking
Sustainability in housebuilding encompasses everything from construction to placemaking to future skills requirements. Keepmoat’s John Bowden says housebuilders must integrate all these elements in their projects – with placemaking at the centre
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Comment2026 will be the year of gateway 3. This is how to make sure you are prepared
The BSR has made good progress in easing the logjam at gateway 2 of the approval process. Mark Brooks explains what comes next
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CommentThis month’s construction industry gossip: Touching tributes
The latest chatter around the industry
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CommentThe shape of place: designing social value through data and dialogue
Place-based social impact starts with understanding local needs. By combining open data with community voices, we can design projects that deliver meaningful change where it matters most, Ellie Jenkins writes
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CommentThe year we’re meant to feel richer – but hiring tells another story
Construction shows resilience and growth forecasts for 2026 offer hope, yet the jobs market is shrinking and fears over the Employment Rights Act loom large, writes Chloe McCulloch
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CommentSimplification, AI, robotics? Finding the fix for construction in 2026
Market sentiment took a battering in 2025, and viability remains a huge challenge. Simon Rawlinson of Arcadis considers where the bright spots are and how construction can take a little more control of its destiny this year
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CommentCoach on the ground: Navigating uncertainty in 2026 with confidence
In the first of a three-part series, leadership coach Mimi Dietrich considers how volatility is reshaping every corner of the built environment and leaving many professionals overwhelmed. She shares how leaders and teams can replace anxiety-driven reactions with resilience and confidence to thrive in uncertain times
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CommentPlaying it safe: Frameworks can steady the construction ship in these choppy waters
In a time of uncertainty and reduced market confidence, frameworks can keep the industry moving forwards with the right level of fair and transparent competition – with added safeguards, legislative guidance, and core benefits that feed economies of scale, writes Simon Toplass.
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CommentWill government’s aspirations for good design be derailed by under-resourced planning departments?
Pro-building planning reforms are undoubtedly a good thing for our industry but we must be careful to ensure that legitimate community concerns can still be heard, writes Denise Chevin
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CommentA year full of challenges, pressure and uncertainties for our industry – that was 2025
The second quarter brought some optimism with the publication of infrastructure and industrial strategies but ongoing economic uncertainty was the dominant theme overall, Karl Horton writes
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CommentA new year – and the same old problems need new solutions
A radical rethink of how we build is essential in 2026 for construction to help hit government targets and deliver the growth this country so desperately needs, writes Richard Steer
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CommentApprenticeship reforms risk creating a competence crisis in construction
As industry leaders voice their alarm over Skills England’s apprenticeship reforms, Karen Wood has taken the difficult decision to pause the firm’s carpentry and joinery apprenticeship programme because of the damage these ‘wrong-headed’ proposals could cause
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CommentPlanning reform needs to drive regional growth at pace
Using transport links as the key for unlocking housing can deliver much-needed growth that is both sustainable and inclusive, says Viral Desai at AtkinsRéalis
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CommentFuture-proofing construction: Why AI must start with people
The industry can harness artificial intelligence to future-proof the workforce. Its success depends on cross-generational training, Nicola Seddon writes