The government has launched a six-week consultation on extending judicial review reforms to housing and transport projects. The aim is to reduce legal challenges, particularly for smaller schemes, and to speed up delivery.
The article indicates that Helical expects Gateway 2 approval for a student residential block above Southwark tube station by the end of the year. It also notes the developer’s view that a shortage of top-class office space in London is likely to persist for several years.
A cross-party select committee has urged the government to reduce regulatory barriers affecting heritage buildings and introduce a heritage-to-housing scheme. The committee argues that the current approach is overly complacent and that reform could help unlock a significant number of homes.
NISTA has downgraded its confidence in the delivery of the cladding remediation programme, citing growing concerns about capacity constraints and rising construction costs. The update suggests increased delivery risk for a programme that remains central to addressing building safety defects.
Laing O’Rourke reports a stronger financial performance, with profit doubling and a record order book, but it has also increased provisions for building safety defects again. The article indicates that exceptional items rose to £48m, suggesting ongoing costs linked to remediation and related liabilities.
Ministers have indicated a policy shift in remediation funding for unsafe buildings, with greater emphasis on prioritising buildings by risk rather than by height. The move suggests that some low-rise buildings may become eligible for support where risk justifies intervention.
A school building in Devon constructed by ISG is set to be demolished and rebuilt rather than repaired after structural problems were identified. The issue has affected a Department for Education project, with the defects severe enough to prevent the building from ever being used.
A man in his 30s has died after falling from height at a Structure Tone site in London’s West End, according to police. The incident is being treated as a fatal workplace accident.
The article reports that London housebuilders are seeking support as City Hall has not met reduced affordable housing targets. It also notes calls to delay the introduction of the Building Safety Levy in order to help restart development activity.
The housing secretary, Steve Reed, has called in City & Country’s proposals to build nearly 500 homes in Essex after the plans were rejected last month. The refusal was linked to concerns that the scheme would amount to inappropriate green belt development, and a final decision will now be made at national level.
