Watchdogs rip up rulebook for building societies in growth boost Banking British building societies are in line for a deregulation boost after UK watchdogs announced a joint raft of initiatives aiming to power up the sector. Mutuals – which, contrary to banks, are owned by their members – are set to land a significant growth tailwind following a fresh report from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) [...]
UK construction productivity still stuck in the 90s, warns industry body Property Productivity in Britain’s construction sector is now lower than in 1997, according to a new report. Decades of under-investment have left delivery capacity “dangerously thin”, a new report by Oxford Economics for the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), Half-Built Britain, has warned. CPA chief Steven Mulholland said the report should serve as a “wake-up call” for [...]
Will the new Planning Bill get Britain building? Opinion The Planning and Infrastructure Bill promises faster decisions and greener outcomes. But will it actually deliver, asks James Clark.
Construction output weakens as gloom persists October 16, 2025 UK construction output has continued to shrink as companies struggle to build at the pace required by the government’s far-reaching housing goals. Output fell 0.3 per cent month on month in August, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), with the most pronounced decline in repair and maintenance. “The underlying trends in construction are [...]
Over 150 high-rise schemes stuck in limbo as red tape clogs up UK construction October 4, 2025 Over 150 high-rise construction projects in the UK have been stalled due to problems with the Building Safety Regulator, with over half of those located in London, according to new data. A new survey from the Construction Plant-Hire Association (CPA), the UK’s leading trade association for renting building equipment, has found that crane fleets and [...]
Labour’s new quarry tax is rock bottom green policy August 4, 2025 A man’s freedom to fill up his quarry absent extortion must stand, writes Charlie Amos in response to Labour's expanded landfill tax.
Number of affordable homes started in London plummets July 10, 2025 The number of affordable homes underway in the capital has fallen far short of expectations as tight regulations and cost pressures make sites unviable. The Greater London Authority has so far completed 871 homes under the 2021-2026 Affordable Homes Programme (AHP), according to its annual housing report. This is just over five per cent of [...]
The Debate: Should we build on the green belt? May 14, 2025 As Sadiq Khan commits to releasing parts of the green belt, we get two experts to make the case for and against in this week's Debate.
Travis Perkins: New CEO named after torrid year and FTSE 250 shares slump May 9, 2025 The man chosen to lead an almighty rebuilding project at construction supplies giant Travis Perkins has been named. Gavin Slark has been picked as the Northamptonshire-headquartered company’s new chief executive and is set to take up his role no later than 1 January, 2026. Slark has held the same position at SIG since 2023 and [...]
Time to build homes on the green belt, Sadiq Khan says in major strategy pivot May 8, 2025 Sir Sadiq Khan is to call for homes to be built on London’s green belt in a major strategic shift on housing policy. In a speech on Friday, the mayor of London is to announce that City Hall will “actively explore” releasing parts of the green belt in a bid to bring an end to [...]