News

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that he will explore releasing parts of the capital’s greenbelt for housing and industrial development, warning that the scale of the housing crisis requires “bold solutions”. Speaking today (9 May) in Greenwich,…

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…

The building safety minister has said “all possible options” are being looked at to help the trouble-hit Building Safety Regulator (BSR) fulfil its functions, and has met with developers to hear their concerns. Alex Norris said his department acknowledged that delays to high-rise projects were being caused by problems in…

A government minister has urged construction firms to get involved with an expanded initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment via funded training. Employment minister Alison McGovern said a revamped recruitment programme – the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) – is being scaled up to help address a labour shortfall that…

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.…

There are still insufficient funds to pay creditors for Michael J Lonsdale, administrators for the collapsed mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialist said. In their third progress report since being appointed in October 2023, Jamie Taylor and Dominik Thiel-Czerwinke from Begbies Traynor said they had clawed back £672,578 from Lonsdale’s debtors…

The construction sector has welcomed a “historic” deal with the US over tariffs that will remove import taxes on steel and aluminium. It comes amid fears UK construction growth would be delayed because of the fallout from President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes. On Thursday (8 May), Trump said: “The US…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? Contractors are being encouraged to help raise standards across the property flood resilience (PFR) industry following the launch of a new trade body. The International Property Flood Resilience Association (IPFRA) is officially launching on 3 June at the…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? Gloucester-based Barnwood Limited has promoted three long-standing employees to director roles within its construction arm, as the division continues to deliver major regional and national projects. Paul Fowles has been named construction director, Will Steel becomes commercial director,…

This story was written with AI assistance from Harmsworth Who is Harmsworth? London has topped a global ranking for high-specification office fit-out costs, driven by rising material prices, specialist skill shortages and growing demand for premium workspaces. According to Turner & Townsend’s Global Office Fit-Out Guide 2025, average costs in…