Author Archives: Kerry Lorimer

Migrant workers are at an increased risk of exploitation on construction sites, a new report has warned. The probe by Achilles, which deals in supply chain risk, found migrant workers are vulnerable to unexplained deductions from wages, restricted access to mobile phones and “informal or unclear” employment arrangements. Based on…

A school that is being delivered in South Wales by Morgan Sindall has been given the go-ahead, despite a potential cost overrun of almost £5m. The total construction cost for St Richard Gwyn High School in Barry was estimated at £59m when Vale of Glamorgan Council invited tenders last spring.…

The government has been warned that its plan to ditch the lower level of landfill tax for less-polluting materials risks hitting construction and demolition firms with an unsustainable increase in disposal costs. Treasury proposals to reform landfill tax would see the lower rate of £4.05 per tonne gradually increase until…

The government has been urged to strengthen the resilience of the domestic mineral products supply chain as the latest data showed a weak start to the year for the sale of building materials. According to the latest data from the Mineral Products Association (MPA), sales of ready-mixed concrete and asphalt…

Construction activity is showing signs of having turned a corner, buoyed by a surge in housebuilding, according to the latest industry analysis. In the May 2025 edition of its construction index, Glenigan found activity had picked up pace in the three months to April, with the value of underlying project…

Planning reforms must go further to prevent judicial review acting as a costly break on major projects, infrastructure chiefs have warned. Witnesses giving evidence to the Public Bill Committee told MPs the most critical weakness in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill legislation – which aims to accelerate the building of…

Ofwat has said it will keep a “much closer eye” on the delivery of water infrastructure upgrades to ensure they provide value for money, as extra billions are pumped into improvements. The regulator’s pledge came as campaigners challenged the skyrocketing costs of refurbishment projects, saying water firms were being allowed…

Government plans to slash the statutory pre-consultation period for major projects have drawn a cautious welcome from industry with warnings it will not be a "golden bullet". The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the latest reforms to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would allow key infrastructure to…

The opening of a diagnostic centre that is being built by Kier in Nottinghamshire has been pushed back by four months, after the discovery of higher-than-expected levels of asbestos. The Mansfield Community Diagnostic Centre, which was due to open at the end of the year, is now expected to be…

Government plans to address gaps in the construction products regime have been branded a “real disappointment” by one of the experts who led the independent review into the sector’s regulation. Former government chief construction adviser Paul Morrell warned that the measures contained in the construction products green paper would fail…