Government

Richard Robinson is the UK & Ireland president of AtkinsRéalis The importance attached to infrastructure investment and economic growth has been elevated to the central priority of the new government. And our industry has loudly voiced the need to maintain the momentum of projects in development and streamline processes that…

Suzannah Nichol is chief executive of Build UK Homes and infrastructure have been at the heart of manifestos and debates over the past six weeks, and Labour, the party that promised to ‘turbocharge’ housebuilding, is now in power with all eyes watching to see those election pledges delivered. The challenges…

CN looks into the main parties’ manifestos as the UK general election approaches As the UK prepares to vote on 4 July, how have the main political parties’ manifestos approached the construction sector? Infrastructure The Conservative manifesto criticised “frivolous legal challenges” against big infrastructure schemes, after a five-year term in…

John Wallace is managing director and head of real estate at solicitors Ridgemont The UK may still be hurting from Brexit, but the Pacific trade deal is a step in the right direction. Member states benefit from free trade, consistent trade rules and the recognition of each other’s local qualifications.…

As Rishi Sunak was picking out his skinniest suit for his big election announcement last week, political podcasters Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell were sitting on a stage 200 miles away in front of a packed audience of built-environment professionals. During the session, at Leeds’ UK Real Estate Investment and…

Delivery of Labour's new town ambitions would require clear pipelines of work, a radical approach to planning and innovative funding routes, key industry figures have warned. Shadow housing secretary Angela Rayner said in a speech at the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum in Leeds this week that she…

Council-funded projects face an uncertain future as a once-steady source of work for contractors comes under financial strain. Keith Cooper reports Local authority-led projects to develop, remodel and maintain estates of town halls, leisure centres – and everything in between – feed a steady stream of work for contractors. Councils…

Which projects are likely to have the biggest impact on the industry in the year ahead? Keith Cooper reports Houses of Parliament Politicians and construction firms alike are standing by for more details on the beleaguered Palace of Westminster restoration. After more than 7,500 hours of surveys being carried out…

Rebecca Hartshorn is the national framework director at John Sisk & Son The UK could easily find itself in a period of tumultuous politics in the near future, but it’s vitally important that public sector projects are able to continue as normally as possible. The potential for a change of…

Amy Pairman is an associate and Eric Johnstone is a senior associate at law firm Brodies On 17 August, the government released its response to its 2022 consultation on the new building-control regime for ‘high-risk buildings’, as part of changes under the Building Safety Act. The government has also published,…