the journal of the chartered association of building engineers
January 2026
buildingengineer January 2026 | www.buildingengineer.org.uk
You shall not pass
Build baby, build
On the face of it
Buried costs
In west Wales, planners are facing a dragon of a nitrate problem
What happens when housebuilding becomes a political statement...
Why understanding façades will help reduce the likelihood of their failure
Preventing necessary environmental measures from sabotaging building
Quantity vs quality In the race to build, are we losing sight of the importance of building properly?
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CABE CONFERENCE SERIES
builtenvironment BACK FOR 2026 REGIONAL SERIES OF EVENTS
IN PERSON EVENTS:
ENGL AND
WA L E S
IRELAND
18 March 2026 University of Hertfordshire
24 June 2026 Cardiff Metropolitan University
22 October 2026 Dublin
The Built Environment Series is back for 2026: With four major regional events taking place for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. We are excited to announce that for the first time, the Built Environment Series will be going virtual, with three additional conferences taking place online throughout the year! VIRTUAL EVENTS:
SCOTL AND
L EG A L
FI R E SA FE T Y
HEALTH & SAFETY
25 February 2026
19 May 2026
9 July 2026
17 September 2026
REGULATORY REFORM
ENGLAND REGULATORY REFORM
18 March 2026
S COTL AND
REGULATORY REFORM
25 February 2026
Our first in-person event will be Built Environment England - Regulatory Reform, exploring the future of building safety and regulatory reform in England. Join us in Hertfordshire for focused technical sessions covering construction product standards, fire safety and structural safety. Gain knowledge on recent regulatory reforms and other key developments, such as key changes to British and International standards, including PAS 2000k, insight into PAS 9980, improved understanding of issues relating to RAAC and punching shear, plus the government perspective on the future for building professionals.
The series begins with the Built Environment Scotland - Regulatory Reform. A half-day virtual conference. Join us for an update on Scottish Building Standards, the declared crisis in the house building sector as well as issues in the wider industry, recent and upcoming changes to policy and legislation, and Scotland's embrace of Passivhaus building standards. The conference will showcase Scotland's construction professionals' expertise in meeting fire safety and sustainability changes and the impact of the new compliance plan manager role.
Register now
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JANUARY 2026
CONTENTS
building engineer WELCOME
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05 Welcome President Zoe Cox reflects on the past year and what is next for the Association INFORMATION
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06 The briefing Industry news and views INTELLIGENCE 10 Technical insights Hywel Davies gives members an inside view 11
24 Buried costs The proposed changes to landfill tax would have had a real cost for housebuilders
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27 Quantity vs quality The clash between building quickly and building properly
13 Industry opinion Healthcare investment and planning in England could be much more aligned
17
14 On the face of it Which type of façade is best suited to your building?
INSIGHT 31 Build baby, build Will planning reform solve the housing crisis? 36 You shall not pass Planners in Wales are locked in a stalemate over environmental regulations
17 Pipe dreams Why has there been a shift back to vitrified clay drainage pipes? 18 Smart from the start Considering smart home features at the planning stage can really help boost their efficiency 21 Knotty issue Be aware of the properties of wood wool slab and when it may need replacing
Building Engineer is published on behalf of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) by Redactive Publishing Ltd Email: info@redactive.co.uk redactive.co.uk
Printed by Warners
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3 BUILDING ENGINEER
CROSS UK Report 1418: Concern over approved Battery Energy Storage System installation (BESS)
JANUARY 2026
22 Bit of a mismatch? Inconsistent quality assurance and control can cause problems
COMMUNITY
21
42 Report and accounts Chief Executive’s statement 47 Association update Launch of the Future Professional consultation
DID YOU KNOW? Reading Building Engineer can contribute to your CPD. Scan the QR CODE to log your time
Publisher: Tiffany van der Sande Editor: Rebecca Davies-Nash Email: cabe@redactive.co.uk Designer: Joe McAllister Picture researcher: Jessica Marsh Sub-editor: Amy Beveridge Production: Aysha Miah-Edwards Email: aysha.miah@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6241 Advertising: Email: cabe-ads@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6206
Volume 101 No 1 January 2026 The Official Journal of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers Chief Executive: Richard Harral Patron: The Earl of Lytton President: Zoe Cox Email: info@cbuilde.com Phone: 01604 404121
Subscription Rates: UK and Ireland £85.00, Overseas £120 (per annum, 10 issues a year, sterling).
49 Member focus Lydia Edwards FCABE
Building Engineer has been carefully prepared but articles are published without responsibility on the part of the publishers or authors for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of any view, information or advice included therein. Articles published in Building Engineer do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE), nor do CABE, the publishers, or authors endorse or accept any responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. Advertisers are responsible for ensuring that the material submitted for inclusion is accurate and free from error. ISSN: 0969-8213
10/12/2025 08:41
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Identifying and Managing Building Safety Risks: A Multi-Level Approach 14 January 2026 | 1 hour CPD
JANUARY 2026
This FREE webinar, presented by Patrick Hayes, Technical Director at The Institution of Structural Engineers, will outline the main structural Building Safety Risks identified by IStructE and CROSS. From an analysis of root cause and applying risk principles, it will propose a multi-levelled risk management approach.
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BUILDING ENGINEER
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Register today at cbuilde.com/webinars
SAVE THE DATE for your buildeng conference and exhibition in 2026:
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Yeovil
22 April
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London Guildford Ashford 2 June
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01/12/2025 10:10:44
03/12/2025 14:42
PRESIDENT ZOE COX
WELCOME
Welcome 5 BUILDING ENGINEER
continue building this new library with CABE’s heritage assets over time. Why not dive into the current collection? Go to cbuilde.com/archive and log in using your usual account details. January is always a busy time of year for CABE as this is when Board elections are held, where Chartered Members can nominate and elect two new Ordinary Board Members to bring their experience and knowledge to the table. Alongside this is the voting for an incoming Vice President. The results for all three of these positions will be announced at the CABE Annual General Meeting on 14 February. January also sees the regional annual general meetings taking place. I encourage you to participate in the meeting for your local region – it is a CPD event where you can hear updates on the Association, regional activities and how your region can support you. Find out more and book your place at cbuilde.com/agm In terms of further CPD and training, at the time of writing we are very close to being able to launch two new valuable tools for members – the CPD-recording platform mycareerpath® and a new mentorship scheme, both of which should be in place early 2026 and will be of great benefit to all members as the year progresses. Look out for further information across CABE channels in due course.
JANUARY 2026
F
irstly, a very Happy New Year to all our members − I hope 2026 brings you health and happiness. The start of a new year provides a good opportunity for reflection. Looking back on the previous year, we can celebrate successes but also revisit and review the things that maybe could have gone better. This perspective and evaluation make us stronger and more resourceful going forward. 2025 marked the 100th year of the Association. CABE held many events both here and within its Asia Pacific chapters, enabling members, partners and staff to celebrate that remarkable milestone together. These events included a garden party at the stunning Stanbrook Abbey in Worcestershire, which will be remembered not only for its jubilations but also for the storm and flash flooding during the speeches. Despite the efforts of Mother Nature, spirits were certainly not dampened. The garden party was the culmination of the year’s numerous regional social events, CABE HQ’s charity fundraising initiative ‘HQ to HK’ and the awarding of Honorary Fellowships for 2025. Commissioned to honour the centenary, CABE has now proudly launched its Digital Archive, a digital collection of the Association’s technical journal dating back to its first publication as The Parthenon in 1926. Free and accessible to all CABE members, this new library hosts information that is not only relevant to the Association but also has industry-wide relevance. The goal is to
ILLUSTRATION: SAM KERR
“The goal is to continue building this new library with CABE’s heritage assets over time”
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GET THE CABE APP FOR ON-THE-GO ACCESS TO MEMBERSHIP FEATURES SCAN FOR DETAILS
Zoe Cox PCABE FCABE C.Build E IEng CABE President
08/12/2025 11:07
INFORMATION
The briefing
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE INDUSTRY
UK autumn budget
JANUARY 2026
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f the Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget, announced in November, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) noted that “many of the government’s plans on housing, infrastructure, employment and energy security rely on the construction sector to deliver”. The CIC “welcomes measures to support local authorities in accelerating social housing and addressing planning bottlenecks by providing the funding to recruit 350 extra planners in England. Alongside this, £13bn will be devolved to local mayors for skills development and infrastructure projects, helping to strengthen the construction workforce. From April 2026, the minimum wage for apprentices will rise by 6%. CIC also welcomes the government’s decision to reform landfill tax.” Katy Davis, National Head of Planning at Carter Jonas, added: “Measures such as additional affordable housing funding, new AI Growth Zones and clarification on the VAT treatment of land for social housing are welcome steps. However, questions remain about whether they go far enough to deliver 1.5 million homes [in England] in the remaining three and a half years of this parliament.” Terry Woodley, MD of Development Finance at Shawbrook, said: “Wider
“Wider industry issues have all contributed to waning activity levels this year”
industry issues such as the training of additional planners, planning red tape and a lack of support for first-time buyers have all contributed to waning activity levels this year [2025], leaving developers feeling apprehensive about
Scotland leads the way With the UK government aiming to build 1.5 million homes in the next five years, construction leaders are calling for the urgent adoption of proven solutions to accelerate sustainable house building in the
UK. The Structural Timber Association (STA), in partnership with Future Homes Hub, has launched an initiative to showcase Scotland’s high-performing timber
frame housing sector, which currently builds over 92% of Scottish homes this way. The STA says: “In Scotland, timber frame is used in mainstream construction. Now it’s time for England to catch up.”
For more, visit structuraltimber.co.uk
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what 2026 will bring. If the government wants to truly embody its ‘build, baby, build’ call to arms, then prioritising a similar scheme to Help to Buy and enhancing infrastructure capabilities will need to be top of the list.”
THE CITBOARD SUPPORTED
1,521
APPRENTICESHIP STARTS BETWEEN APRIL AND SEPTEMBER 2025 SOURCE: CITB
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THE BRIEFING
HAVE YOU SEEN? Building Engineer is available online with up-to-date news and online exclusives. Visit buildingengineer.org.uk
You’ve been reading… HSE confirms timetable for Building Safety Regulator transition
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buildingengineer.org.uk/bsr-timetable
CLC issues guidance to ease Gateway 2 applications for HRBs
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A rising star in the sustainable built environment
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new system for local planning development, including a 30-month process, is to be launched early this year, Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook (pictured) has said. As well as the 30-month process aimed at “providing a clear end-to-end framework for creating and adopting local plans”, the changes will see
a three-gateway system with checkpoints at Gateway 1 (scope and strategic priorities), Gateway 2 (draft plan) and Gateway 3 (readiness for examination). “Local plans are the best way for communities to shape decisions about how to deliver the housing and wider development their areas need,” Pennycook said. Read more at b.link/GOV_NPPF
JANUARY 2026
buildingengineer.org.uk/CLC-hrb
New local plan
buildingengineer.org.uk/charles-lam
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Engineering Council issues updated whistleblowing guidance buildingengineer.org.uk/ whistleblowing-guidance
Survey reveals stark skills pressures amid rising engineering demand
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buildingengineer.org.uk/workforce-update
IMAGES: ISTOCK.COM, ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK, NOUN PROJECT
In case you missed it… Building Engineer reports regularly on industry news at buildingengineer.org.uk. Here’s a round-up of recent articles: CABE joins call to raise eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeship funding buildingengineer.org.uk/level-7-funding CIC welcomes some of the autumn budget measures to support the sector buildingengineer.org.uk/ CIC-budget-response Building sector asked for input on future professional standards buildingengineer.org. uk/ standards-consultation
SCAN TO ACCESS ALL STORIES AND MUCH MORE
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Competence Hub BSI, in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG), have announced that their Built Environment Competence Hub will be launching later this month, with pre-launch access open to those who register. The hub is for professionals to access the latest competence frameworks, standards and practical guidance in one location. It is designed for all those working in the built environment sector, including designers, contractors, regulators and anyone involved in competence development or oversight. It brings together the work of all the ICSG Sector Led Groups and provides curated tools, resources and insights from BSI, ICSG and wider stakeholders of competence. Register for early access at competence.bsigroup.com/register
Have your say The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has opened a consultation, applicable to England only, on proposals to reform local authority building control services. The consultation closes on 25 January. To find out more and take part, visit b.link/ CABE_govsurvey
09/12/2025 14:53
INFORMATION
The year ahead re you setting goals for 2026? Consider applying to become a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), Registered Environmental Practitioner (REnvP) or Registered Environmental Technician (REnvTech). By gaining professional registration, you can demonstrate your competence and dedication to protecting the environment. In 2025, a milestone of 9,000 registered environmental professionals was reached, showing competent professionals are needed to tackle the interconnected climate and nature crises. To provide support on the road to professional registration, the Society for the Environment will be holding the next round of ‘Registration 101’ drop-in sessions – keep an eye on the website event listings at socenv.org.uk/events
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JANUARY 2026
The appliance of science
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C
ement supplier Ecocem has announced the creation of a Materials Science Advisory Council. The Council, comprising 11 scientists from global institutions, will work to accelerate the development and adoption of low-carbon cement worldwide. Its creation follows Ecocem’s Science Symposium in Paris in
November. Academics and industry stakeholders shared insights and updates on next-generation lowcarbon cement technologies and delegates heard from construction industry partners on the largescale deployment of low-carbon cement and concrete on live sites. For more, visit b.link/Ecocem_council
Hong Kong fire The fire in November of seven out of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex claimed at least 159 lives. Hong Kong police alleged that unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during maintenance work may have been behind its rapid spread. The city’s fire service found that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine what led to the fire. CABE’s sympathies are with all of those affected.
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CABE is licensed by the Society for the Environment to award the professional registrations REnvTech, REnvP and CEnv to members. To discover more, or apply for registration, visit cbuilde.com/socenv
NI minister launches consultation Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched a consultation on the Decent Homes Standard to improve the quality, safety and sustainability of social homes. Outlining the first review of the Decent Homes Standard in two decades, Lyons said: “I am committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of families and individuals living in social homes
across Northern Ireland. The consultation sets out a range of proposals to improve the condition, energy efficiency, affordability and safety of homes. I encourage everyone with an interest in social housing to share their views and help shape the future of homes across Northern Ireland.” The consultation will run until 4 March 2026. Visit: b.link/ NICommunities_consult
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THE BRIEFING
T
subcontractors in the construction industry poses a danger. He said: “I would argue there is a real need to not just regulate building control professions but [also] the other engineering professions and other critical roles inside construction.”
CABE is among a list of signatories on a letter from RIBA calling for the government to raise the age of eligibility for Level 7 apprenticeship funding to 25 years old for professionals within the built environment sector. Read the letter at b.link/RIBA_letter
AFFORDABLE HOMES New Forest District Council has opened its latest affordable housing development, providing 23 homes in New Milton on the former site of the Advertiser and Times newspaper. The scheme has seen the sensitive conversion of the former office to create ten affordable homes, alongside 13 one- and two-bedroom flats.
Read more at b.link/CN_BSR
NEW ISTRUCTE GUIDANCE
Future Professional
Take part at b.link/CABE_FP
9 BUILDING ENGINEER
CABE has launched a consultation into how the Association can best support its members to meet the challenges of stronger professional oversight, greater transparency and cultural change within the construction sector.
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has sponsored and published guidance to support building project teams to assess and track embodied carbon in-line with the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. Read the guidance at b.link/IStructE_guidance
JANUARY 2026
he Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) Chair Andy Roe has called for registration and the greater regulation of subcontractors. Giving evidence at the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee’s inquiry into issues at the BSR in October, Roe said that the lack of mandatory registration for
NEWS IN BRIEF
BSR chair calls for greater regulation
CABE SIGNS OPEN LETTER
EMPTY HOMES BACK INTO USE
IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK
Make a splash with competition A challenge-led competition to fund innovations in cutting water use has been launched. The Water Efficiency Lab has tasked innovators with developing data-driven solutions that cut water use and provide practical actions for customers to reduce their water usage. Part of Ofwat’s £100m Water Efficiency Fund, the competition is designed to help build a more resilient and sustainable water system across England and Wales. UK Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “[2025’s] prolonged dry weather demonstrates why we all need to take action to protect our water resources, as with a changing climate it is likely we will see pressure on the system continue to grow.”
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More than 400 private long-term empty homes in Wales have been brought back into use by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Empty Property Team. This milestone highlights the Empty Property Team’s success in tackling vacant homes, using a mix of financial support, expert guidance and enforcement. Entries that provide alternative approaches for properties that are unable to have a water meter fitted, that are hard to meter and that are a low priority to be metered are especially welcome – ensuring solutions are inclusive and widely applicable, making water efficiency possible for everyone. The competition closes on 10 March. For more information visit waterinnovation.challenges.org
GET INVOLVED
Building Engineer prides itself on presenting high-quality technical information and industry insight, and would like to showcase the expertise of the members themselves. Do you have specialist knowledge of an area that’s not being covered, or insight in an area that is? Would you be willing to submit a feature or be interviewed? If so, email the editor at cabe@redactive.co.uk
09/12/2025 14:54
INTELLIGENCE
INSIDE VIEW
JANUARY 2026
TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
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CABE Head of Technical Insight Hywel Davies works to inform and influence policy, standards and guidance in the profession – here’s what that means for members
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uilding safety is dominating many discussions about building and construction today. The new regime for higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act has caused a major hiatus in development. There are multiple reasons for this, including poor-quality submissions and inadequate capacity and processes in the Building Safety Regulator. Inevitably, these have led to calls from some to row back on the Act and make it easier to build. Meanwhile we have a clear UK government commitment to build 1.5 million new homes in England during this parliament. (Few doubt the need to create that number of new homes, although whether they all need building from scratch and not creating by conversions or by bringing properties back into use is well worth discussing.) So, can we deliver the quantity without compromising on quality and safety? This is the topic of the feature on page 27 ‘Quality versus quantity’. It considers the National House Building Council’s report Maintaining Quality in the Design and Construction of 1.5 Million Homes (and the RIBA, CIOB and RICS report Building in Quality before that) and how quality can be applied. The feature also questions if the focus on professional competency is enough to ensure quality and safety. And what impact will the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations for registration of fire engineers, licensing of contractors and the forthcoming construction products regulation have on output?
Future Professional Scan the QR code to take part in CABE’s Future Professional consultation
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CABE is closely involved in the discussions with government, the relevant regulators and industry bodies about how construction outcomes can be improved and higher output targets met. CABE has released its own consultation, Future Professional, which proposes how the Association will meet the challenges of stronger professional oversight, greater transparency and a cultural change within the construction sector. Members are invited to respond to help shape the Association and the profession’s long-term development.
Compliance
C
ABE continues to be closely involved in the work of the Industry Competence Steering Group as it develops competence frameworks where they are needed or considers how existing frameworks might be adapted or reinforced to meet current requirements. In particular, CABE co-chairs the group looking at engineering competence. CABE is also continuing to contribute to the work of the Building Control Independent Panel, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt. It is anticipated that the Panel will issue a report with its recommendations very soon, as it is acutely aware of the significance of the work to the building control profession.
Energy Company Obligation scheme (ECO4)
F
inally, the ECO4 debacle continues, with the highly influential Commons Public Accounts Committee taking evidence from various participants, including the most senior civil servants in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. CABE continues to contribute to the discussion about how these failings are addressed and the fundamental importance of the building control system to avoid substandard, poorquality work and its impact on thousands of households.
People and safety
I
n his recent Gold Medal Address to the Institution of Structural Engineers, leading forensic engineer in the US Glenn Bell spoke on his work coleading the investigation into the Champlain Towers South collapse in Miami in 2021 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In his concluding remarks he was very clear that the primary motivation for doing the work is that “it’s about people”. He ended the address by reminding everyone that “assuring structural safety takes immense courage by structural engineers”. Now is the time for all of us to be courageous, to support the new building safety regime and to concentrate on making it appropriate to deliver safer, better-quality buildings at the scale we need. This is for the sake of everyone who will live in or otherwise benefit from those buildings.
08/12/2025 11:08
INTELLIGENCE
CROSS UK
A planned large Lithium-ion BESS in a densely populated area, combined with a potential misalignment between local authority decisions and recent UK guidance, highlights the need for a review of how such developments are evaluated
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“The reporter is deeply concerned about the decision to locate a BESS in a densely populated urban area”
JANUARY 2026
reporter highlights a significant safety concern regarding the planning approval of a grid scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) within an old brick building located in a city centre, situated near to residential accommodation. The reporter is particularly concerned about the potential for fire or explosion. The reporter tells us that the BESS, which utilises Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, is housed in an enclosed structure. They highlight that Li-ion batteries are known to pose thermal runaway risks, with the potential to lead to fires or explosions if not adequately managed. The location within a brick building exacerbates the reporter’s concerns – they note the structural integrity and fire resistance of such buildings may not meet modern standards for containing such hazards. In the reporter’s view, the proximity to a residential setting significantly increases the potential impact of any incident, posing risks to life safety and property. They are deeply concerned about the decision to locate a BESS in a densely populated urban area, apparently without sufficient consideration of public safety. The reporter says they contacted the local authority to raise these concerns and were informed that
the issue was not within the scope of planning considerations. The reporter notes however, that recent UK guidance suggests that safety risks associated with BESS installations should be a material planning consideration. They believe this discrepancy highlights a potential gap in the application of planning regulations, where public safety may not be adequately prioritised. The reporter emphasises the need for robust planning rules that explicitly address the safety implications of BESS developments, particularly in urban settings. The approval of this project in a location the reporter considers unsuitable leads them to conclude that current planning frameworks may not fully account for the unique risks posed by Li-ion BESS. The reporter indicates they believe there was failure to apply practical judgement in the decision-making process. The reporter advocates for clearer and more stringent planning guidelines to ensure that BESS developments are sited in locations that minimise risks to the public. They describe further examples of poorly located BESS projects, suggesting there may be a broader systemic problem in the planning and approval process for such installations. Highlighting their experience with the local authority, they underscore the importance of ensuring that safety concerns are not dismissed as outside the remit of planning considerations. For the reporter, this example raises critical questions about the adequacy of current planning
CROSS UK
Report 1418 Collaborative reporting for safer structures. Report 1418: Concern over approved Battery Energy Storage System installation (BESS)
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08/12/2025 11:08
INTELLIGENCE
CROSS UK
frameworks in addressing the safety risks associated with BESS installations in urban environments. They believe planners, regulators and industry stakeholders, including manufacturers and suppliers, should work together to ensure that public safety is prioritised in the siting and approval of BESS projects.
JANUARY 2026
Comments
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The Panel notes that concerns about fire and explosion risks associated with BESS, particularly those using Li-ion technology, are well established. In addition, incidents arising from thermal runaway remain a recognised hazard. Therefore, appropriate risk management strategies – including ventilation, containment and fire suppression measures – are essential at the design stage. Where BESSs are located within enclosed or repurposed buildings, such as the brick structure described in the report, the complexity of effective risk control increases. Site-specific risk assessments that account for the surrounding environment are important. In this case, the close proximity to residential accommodation raises legitimate questions about whether the risks to nearby occupants have been fully evaluated and mitigated. It is not possible to conclude that the separation distance in this instance is sufficient without a clear understanding of the design’s safety features or credible performance data for worst-case scenarios. The absence of detail about the facility’s design and the risk mitigation strategies in place makes it difficult to assess the overall safety of the installation. The reporter’s concern about potential regulatory and oversight gaps in the approval and assurance process for BESSs is also noted. While the GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE) indicates that planning permission for such developments lies with local planning authorities, it is not always clear how safety is prioritised or assessed during this process. HSE guidance stresses the need for adequate consideration of safety risks, but the degree to which this is consistently achieved remains in question. BESS developments are not typically subject to statutory consultation with the fire service, either at the planning or building control stages. However, BESS planning guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council encourages early engagement with fire and rescue services during planning stages to ensure fire risks are addressed. It should be noted that this guidance is currently under review and is primarily for fire and rescue services to consider with planning authorities – it is not design guidance. BESS sites are often classed as infrastructure and may therefore be exempt from Building
Further reading HSE guidance b.link/HSE_BESS BESS guidance b.link/NFCC_BESS CROSS 1166 b.link/CROSS_1166 For insight into BESS and Li-ion fire, read Business Sprinkler Alliance’s article in Building Engineer b.link/BE_cautionary
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Key learning outcomes For designers and fire engineers: ensure that BESS installations include site-specific risk assessments that consider fire, explosion and deflagration hazards in the context of surrounding populations and structures; and engage with fire and rescue services early in the planning and design process to incorporate suitable fire risk mitigation measures. For regulators and approval bodies: review and clarify how safety considerations for BESS developments are incorporated within planning decisions, particularly in high-density urban environments. For building owners and Responsible Persons: seek assurance that BESS designs within existing or repurposed buildings have been subject to appropriate technical scrutiny, and that fire safety risks are clearly understood and managed.
Regulations. Where BESSs are installed within existing buildings or where ancillary structures are present, regulatory requirements may vary – but, in any case, application can be limited. Consequently, critical safety responsibilities often fall to designers and any third-party approvers. If these stakeholders lack sufficient understanding of the technical and emerging risks associated with BESS, there is potential for unsafe designs to be implemented without adequate scrutiny. CROSS Safety Report 1166 – Battery Energy Storage System concerns identified similar concerns and called for improved clarity in regulatory pathways, design assurance and professional competence. This report reinforces the view that innovation in energy systems is outpacing the capacity of the regulatory system to ensure robust oversight. In the absence of a co-ordinated regulatory response, the responsibility to ensure safe and effective BESS designs rests heavily on competent professionals, particularly at the interface between planning and technical design. To subscribe to the CROSS UK newsletter (structural and fire safety concerns), visit cross-safety.org/uk/user/register
08/12/2025 11:08
INTELLIGENCE
HEALTHCARE ESTATES
INDUSTRY OPINION
IMAGE: ALAMY
R ROBERT DIBDEN has an academic background in architecture, and his work has involved large commercial, healthcare and education schemes across the north of England and Scotland. He manages major planning applications and planning reports, providing due diligence advice on developer’s planning applications and development strategies.
esearch from Lichfields has found that despite record levels of government investment in hospitals and neighbourhood health facilities, most local plans are not consistently making adequate provision for healthcare estates. The study, Strategic Planning for Healthcare Estates, highlights a clear mismatch between national ambitions and local policy. Of the 88 local plans adopted since March 2020, only 63% contain a strategic objective to improve health or healthcare, while just 26% include site-specific policies or allocations for new health facilities. This patchy coverage suggests that many projects in the development pipeline, including those in the government’s new hospitals programme, will need to move forward without an up-todate planning status or site designation. The findings come at a critical moment, with national policy and funding creating opportunities to renew the country’s ageing healthcare estate. In Westminster, the Labour government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in December 2024, mentions ‘health’ or ‘healthier’ no fewer than 39 times, underlining the drive to integrate health outcomes into planning decisions. Alongside this, the 2025 Spending Review confirmed a £4bn uplift to the Department of Health and Social Care’s annual capital budget and pledged £30bn
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over the next five years to maintain and modernise the NHS estate, including eliminating RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) by 2035.
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Keeping pace? Our research shows that many local plans are not always keeping pace with this new policy and investment landscape. Too often, there is a disconnect between health infrastructure strategies and the planning frameworks designed to support them. Closing that gap is essential if we are to see new hospitals and neighbourhood health facilities delivered on the ground at the pace that’s needed. Lichfields is already advising on schemes such as Berwick Community Hospital, due to open in 2026, and the redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary, scheduled between 2030 and 2035 – examples of projects where strategic planning alignment is crucial to timely delivery. The report also points to 2026 as a pivotal year for plan-making, as local planning authorities update their evidence bases and begin consultations on new allocations to reflect higher national development targets. This year will be critical as local authorities move forward with new local plans. It’s essential that health trusts use this opportunity to engage early and secure the policy support that will ensure their projects are streamlined. By embedding proposals into statutory plans from the start, they can reduce risks, accelerate delivery and make sure communities see the benefits of investment in healthcare infrastructure much sooner.
BUILDING ENGINEER
Robert Dibden, Planning Director at Lichfields, notes healthcare investment and planning isn’t aligned in England – so what can be done to close the gap?
JANUARY 2026 JANUAR
Redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary isn’t scheduled until between 2030 and 2035
Read the National Planning Policy Framework at b.link/MHCLG_NPPF Download Lichfields’ study at b.link/Lichfields_study
08/12/2025 11:10
INTELLIGENCE
BUILDING ENGINEER
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On the face of it Daniel Snape MRICS, Associate Director at Watts Group, notes that façades remain one of the most misunderstood and failure-prone elements in the built environment
I
n the simplest terms, a façade is the outer skin of a building. It forms the weatherproof envelope, contributes to fire performance, impacts a building’s EPC rating and sustainability criteria, and influences thermal and acoustic comfort for occupants. Aesthetically, the façade shapes first impressions, but it is more than a visual device. Façades are the first line of defence between the external environment and interior of a building. Critically, façades can account for up to 35% of the overall construction cost of a building, with factors such as complexity, materials and overall project size influencing costs. They are also an area most prone to failure. Façade failures can be prevented through informed decision-making during the design, procurement and construction stages (including detailing and firerelated design), regular inspection and maintenance, and a deeper understanding of façade design principles and defects. This article will cover three types of façades in the UK: traditional brickwork, curtain walling and rainscreen cladding, and what defects Watts surveyors commonly encounter.
Traditional brickwork (1) Brick masonry has been used for centuries in the UK due to its high durability and can last decades when properly constructed and maintained. It provides resistance to fire and infestation, offers good acoustic performance and is
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generally considered to be low maintenance with repairs typically required at wider intervals. However, brickwork can be time-consuming to construct; is porous, which can lead to damp issues in older properties; and is susceptible to cracking due to its poor tensile strength. Common defects include: external cracks caused by a variety of reasons such as thermal movement, structural settlement, subsidence, heave and cavity wall tie failure; spalling brickwork caused by freeze-thaw cycles; and mortar deterioration caused by weather exposure, freeze-thaw cycles, erosion, structural movement, incorrect construction and natural ageing.
Curtain walling (2) Curtain walling can be categorised into either unitised or stick systems; both are non-structural with imposed loads such as wind transferred into the primary structure of the building. Due to a wide range of materials and design options, curtain walling is a popular choice for commercial buildings. Unitised systems are formed of prefabricated panels manufactured off-site, offering enhanced thermal, acoustic and weather performance. They are typically quicker to install on-site and can incorporate structural movement and fire resistance during the design and manufacturing process. Stick systems are constructed on-site, formed of individual components known as mullions and
IMAGES: ISTOCK.COM
JANUARY 2026
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FAÇADES
transoms with glazing panels installed into these components. This form of curtain walling offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, and is generally easier to maintain. However, both forms of curtain walling are expensive and sensitive to workmanship quality. Common defects include: water ingress caused by a variety of issues such as poor installation and detailing of sealant and weatherstrips, blocked drainage channels, improper maintenance, defective materials and environmental factors that accelerate ageing; shrunken and dislodged gaskets due to age, improper maintenance and weather exposure; and dislodged caps to mullions and transoms due to improper installation and thermal expansion.
Rainscreen cladding (3)
1
Thorough investigation of any issues – understanding the scope of investigations required to determine the root cause of the issue before specifying a repair methodology to avoid a trial-and-error approach.
amendments are preferable, but in practice this isn’t always adopted. It is therefore important that both your professional and legal teams review any schedules of amendments to ensure you are not exposed to unnecessary risk.
Robust documentation – clarity and completeness of technical specifications and construction documentation is nonnegotiable. Façade record details are an important part of the health and safety file (CDM) and Golden Thread (Building Safety Act).
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Competent tendering – vet contractors for financial stability, relevant experience and workmanship quality. The contractors should be experienced in working on the type of façade you have, have a good reputation and be able to demonstrate their understanding and suitability for the project.
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Comprehensive handover – ensure a detailed completion pack is provided before practical completion is awarded. This should include at minimum receipt of all statutory, regulatory or other relevant consents and certification, comprehensive operations and maintenance, guarantees and warranties (which should be fully executed), design conformity statements if requested and a health and safety file.
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15 BUILDING ENGINEER
Formal appointment – use recognised forms of contract and ensure requirements for any warranties and guarantees are defined. Suites of contracts such as JCT are designed to ensure there is a clear contractual agreement between both parties. Standard forms of contract without
On-site oversight – regular site inspections and monitoring aligned with construction milestones are vital to ensuring design intent is carried through to installation. Poor workmanship can be quickly concealed during the construction process and, unless it is spotted at this stage, it may not be apparent until a defect arises later. Consider mechanisms such as novation of consultants to ensure quality requirements are being followed by your chosen contractor.
JANUARY 2026
This is a modern, lightweight system offering quick installation. This form of façade offers ventilation and moisture control through an air cavity, can enhance thermal performance and, depending on choice of materials, can be low-maintenance. However, these systems are expensive, require increased design, detailing and planning, and have only become popular in recent decades so there’s less data on their long-term weaknesses. Each system has its own design life and performance expectations, with elements such as gaskets, seals and double-glazed units requiring earlier maintenance or replacement. Common defects include: missing or insufficient cavity barriers resulting in fire safety hazards; distortion of high-pressure laminate panels due to incorrect fixing detailing, which does not allow for natural thermal movement; and a lack of drainage and ventilation provisions within the systems cavity, including blocked drainage, which can result in water ingress and moisture issues.
Best practice procurement
Inspection and maintenance Undertaking routine inspections of a building’s façade is important for early detection of issues (before they become more significant and costly), enhanced health and safety, increasing longevity of the façade and maintaining a building’s value and aesthetics. The British Standards Institution has plenty of façade-specific guidance; its BS 8210 outlines the best practice for facilities maintenance and inspections, recommending a tiered approach to how often these should take place: routine should be undertaken throughout the annual period to determine whether specialist inspections are required. This will help identify defects as early as possible general, non-intrusive inspections should be undertaken on an annual basis. This could
“Façades are too important – financially, functionally and reputationally – to be treated as passive features”
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be as part of an annual Planned Preventative Maintenance survey or general building condition assessments. These should be undertaken by qualified, experienced professionals who will be able to identify defects and provide a remediation methodology; and detailed inspections should be undertaken no less than once every three years. These should be undertaken by a specialist experienced in assessing the façade in question. More intrusive inspections may be involved, such as removing a rainscreen cladding panel to assess the non-visual elements such as the support structure and fire stopping. Ultimately, façades are too important – financially, functionally and reputationally – to be treated as passive features. With regulatory, environmental and safety expectations rising, a proactive approach to façade management is no longer optional. Whether you manage a historic brick block or a newly clad high-rise, your role in safeguarding façades begins with understanding them. For more, visit watts.co.uk
08/12/2025 11:10
Registered Building Inspector (RBI) Class 2F Full Time Bristol / Somerset / Gloucester / Worcester Coast 2 Coast Building Control is a successful Registered Building Control Approver, based in South Wales. Based Across Wales and SW England CompeƟƟve salary depending on experience and classiĮcaƟon 5% pension contribuƟon 30 days holiday plus bank holidays Car allowance Time and Fees covered to maintain registered class and 4 yearly reassessments
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CABE.JAN26.016.indd 4 FP.indd 2 Coast2Coast CABEJan26
15:49 03/12/2025 15:46
INTELLIGENCE
T
Leon Woods, Country Manager UK at Steinzeug-Keramo, looks at why there is a shift back to vitrified clay drainage pipes as specifiers adapt a ‘right first time’ approach
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Environmental concerns Their operational lifespan exceeds 150 years because clay’s inherent chemical stability withstands hydrogen sulphide (found in sewers), acid and alkali exposure and biological degradation. They are especially good for brownfield soils, which can contain residues of industrial chemicals, fuels or solvents. Moreover, they do not contain any harmful substances or leach pollutants such as synthetic additives, chemicals or microplastics. They can be left in the ground without compromising soil or water quality. They consist entirely of natural materials: clay, water and chamotte (pre-fired clay aggregate). Clay is an abundant natural resource that can be sourced locally in most regions, reducing transportation-related carbon emissions. The manufacturing process produces no toxic byproducts or hazardous waste. Modern kilns can incorporate energy recovery systems and renewable energy sources too. Chamotte also algins with circular economy principles because it’s made from recycled fired clay products. Since they do not degrade, the pipes can be recovered and reused or crushed and recycled as aggregate for construction applications or returned to the manufacturing process as chamotte. This complete recyclability ensures zero waste to landfill. The move back to vitrified clay drainage pipes reflects a wider understanding by specifiers of the need for long-term value and the creation of resilient infrastructure – doing fewer things better ultimately means that we are not storing up large maintenance and replacement burdens for future generations.
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Pipe dreams
to higher long-term expense in maintenance and replacement. The notion of life-cycle costing, which evaluates the total costs associated with a product or system over its entire life-cycle, is gaining momentum. Research conducted by Project Hub 360 mapped the life-cycle costs of vitrified clay pipes compared to thermoplastic alternatives for drainage and wastewater applications over 150 years. It confirmed a life-cycle costing study by the Ceramic Research Centre of Bologna that if the operational lifespan exceeds 40 years, clay offered cost savings of up to 65% compared to alternative materials.
JANUARY 2026
he construction and infrastructure sectors are undergoing a re-evaluation of drainage pipe materials. Engineers, contractors and utilities are increasingly prioritising longevity over short-term cost savings. This shift is being driven by several factors: rising costs associated with network upgrades, life-cycle costing and sustainable construction practices. Of course, infrastructure failures such as sinkholes appearing in Prestwich, Manchester and Worksop caused by sewer pipe failures have reinforced the need for a ‘right first time’ approach. The UK Chief Secretary to the Treasury said that its approach is “doing fewer things better, instead of the same things badly”. Fundamental benefits that have made clay pipes the preferred choice for centuries include low permeability, resistance to buoyancy and stability in saturated soils and flood conditions, as well as resistance to external water pressure of 50kPa (5 metres head). In fact, vitrified clay pipes typically demonstrate compressive strengths up to 100 N/mm². This comes from the vitrification process, where clay materials are fired at high temperatures creating a tough, impermeable surface. The glazed interior surface achieves roughness coefficients as low as 0.010, providing superior flow characteristics that remain constant throughout the pipe’s operational life. In deep trench installations, where pipes must withstand substantial soil loads and traffic pressures, they maintain their structural integrity without deformation, creep or stress cracking. During installation, transportation and handling too, their durability reduces replacement costs and minimises project delays caused by damage. Material selection is often driven by the lowest initial costs, but this approach can lead
VITRIFIED CLAY PIPES
For more information, visit steinzeug-keramo.com
08/12/2025 11:11
INTELLIGENCE
S
2025 in the UK, nearly half of homeowners expressed an interest in adopting smart technology for lighting, heating and security, while in North America more than 41% of households already own smart-home products. Globally, the market is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 23% between 2025 and 2032. Even though the added value of connectivity in the home is increasingly understood, widespread adoption is hampered by outdated perceptions among some consumers and developers. A saturated smart-home app market, as well as the perceived high complexity and cost of installation, is holding many back. This is compounded by
developers’ tendency to treat smarthome technology as a bolt-on after the fact rather than embedding it in new properties from the outset.
Building in anticipation, not afterthought The Bowers, a recent residential development in Kent, offers a case study on the practice of ‘smart from the start’. Developer Hillstone Homes partnered with ABB and electrical contractor Faulkner & Sons to deliver integrated automation as standard, covering lighting, heating, blinds, door entry and audio-visual. A wired infrastructure was opted for because it can be easily expanded wirelessly for future upgrades, with
Vimal Mohanan from ABB Electrification says that for smart-home benefits to really be felt, they need to be part of the planning considerations from the outset
JANUARY 2026
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Smart from the start
BUILDING ENGINEER
mart-home technology used to be viewed as a gimmick for gadget lovers and as a luxury rather than an essential. In recent years, though, this view has shifted. Automation can enhance inclusive design in the form of voice control, automated shading (co-ordinating blinds for cost-effective heating and cooling) and scene recall (systems can be set to be activated based on conditions such as time of day, weather, motion or temperature sensor information to, for example, turn on the lights and adjust the thermostat when motion is detected in a room). This provides practical support for older residents and those with mobility or cognitive challenges. By incorporating smart technology in the home, it can increase the longevity of the property by making it adaptable to different residents’ needs. Smart-home technology is also seen as essential to running a building to optimum energy efficiency, so its demand is no longer limited to tech enthusiasts. In
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SMART HOMES
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
Adaptable and future-ready
The Energy Saving Trust also emphasises that smart tariffs, automated load shifting and intelligent charging for EVs can directly contribute to grid decarbonisation. Case study evidence shows that integrated systems make it technically feasible for new homes to support dynamic energy management and low-carbon electrification without later retrofit headaches. The UK’s New Towns Taskforce stresses that communities must be designed with the same foresight as water, energy and transport infrastructure, but even it does not make explicit mention of smarthome technology. Projects like the Bowers are small in scale, but when multiplied across developments and entire next-generation new towns, the cumulative benefits – but also the infrastructure demand – escalates. Smart homes generate vast amounts of data flowing to cloud platforms. This increases pressure on networks and contributes to the global boom in data centre energy consumption, which is projected to double to 1,000TWh by 2026. Engineers therefore need to consider not only the indwelling systems, but also
“Automation networks are best viewed as core building services, not temporary add-ons”
This is vital because the major drive for the installation of smart-home systems is energy efficiency. Under Part L and the Future Homes Standard, developers must demonstrate low-carbon performance. Smart zoning of heating, scheduling of HVAC and integration of shading with occupancy all contribute to measurable energy savings.
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Smart-home technology is necessary to meet rising energy and carbon standards, as well as enhancing inclusive design for older residents and those with mobility and cognitive challenges – and it requires serious consideration from the start. Bolt-on automation risks the frustration of higher costs for both developers and residents, as well as missing efficiency opportunities. The Bowers is a best-practice example of streamlined installation, as well as a future-proofed capacity for emerging technologies – the modular cabling and wireless capability means the owners can integrate solar panels, home batteries or EV charging later with minimal disruption. One note of caution though: obsolescence of the technology will be much quicker than the surrounding building, so the life-cycle of the smart equipment in a building needs to be properly considered from the start too. From small-scale developments to large-scale new towns, we must approach smart-home systems not as consumer gadgets, but as critical infrastructure that will shape the performance, safety and sustainability of our housing stock for decades to come. For more, visit b.link/ABB_electrification
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Sustainability and compliance drivers
connectivity resilience, edge processing options and the knock-on effect of mass electrification on national grids.
JANUARY 2026
a central system access point. This approach reduced cabling complexity and allowed structured wiring to run through ducts alongside the main electrics. From an engineering perspective, this illustrates a key advantage of integrating systems during build as it minimises the risk of future disruption; it builds an electrical backbone in the property, which is capable of both current functions and later expansion (for example, adding electric vehicle (EV) chargers or occupancy sensors). By contrast, retrofitted systems often require additional channelling, unreliable wireless bridging or other piecemeal upgrades, which rely on disparate technologies interfacing with each other. Automation networks are best viewed as core building services, not temporary add-ons. One of the most common causes of ‘failed’ smart systems is end-users disabling or overriding them because they are viewed as too complex to manage. At the Kent development, installers used preprogrammed device identifiers to allocate functions room by room, testing scenes such as ‘All Off ’ before handover. This avoided obscure coding and ensured systems were easy for residents to adjust themselves. Most importantly, owners were introduced to a single control interface (via wall panels or smartphone app), rather than multiple apps for different devices. As Director Darren Faulkner noted, homeowners were able to control their homes “from day one, without needing an installer every time they changed their routines”. The key lesson is that handover must include proper user training and documentation. Without that, residents often revert to manual overrides or disable systems out of fear of energy costs, negating any efficiency gains.
Pitfalls to avoid Fragmentation: without a central integration strategy, homes risk being saddled with many different apps. Interoperability standards such as Matter and KNX help avoid this, as well as apps such as ABBfree@home (as used in the Bowers), which bring other third-party apps under one central interface poor infrastructure planning: inadequate wifi coverage or insufficient cabling capacity can cripple usability. Hybrid wiring plus well-placed access points are best overreliance on bespoke coding: easily reconfigurable systems outlast niche proprietary programming; and insufficient handover/testing: engineers should simulate occupancy scenarios (holiday mode, ecosettings, remote access) during commissioning, with residents present.
08/12/2025 11:14
THE UK’S NO.1 FIRE SAFETY EVENT get involved www.firesafetyevent.com CABE.JAN26.020.indd 4 Nineteen CABEJ26 FP BLEED.indd 4
14:39 03/12/2025 10:01
INTELLIGENCE
WOOD WOOL SLAB
Knotty issue condition of the slab, the roof should be treated as fragile until an accurate assessment can be made. The hierarchy of control for fragile roofs, as set out in the GB Health and Safety Executive publication HSG33, should be strictly adhered to. Any visible areas of the slab should be examined for water saturation and previous water damage. The roof above the slab should also be inspected; cracking and damage to roof finishes increase the risk of damage to the slab below.
Review and remediate Where wood wool slab is used as the formwork for concrete, issues arise due to the compressible nature of the slab. This compression results in uneven compaction of concrete, which in turn leads to gaps forming (known as honeycombing). These gaps can allow moisture to enter the structure. Another known issue is the fine aggregate in the wet concrete bleeding into the wood wool slab, leaving behind only course, no-fines concrete, which again is susceptible to water ingress.
“The roof above the slab should also be inspected; cracking and damage to roof finishes increase the risk of damage to the slab below”
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Water entering the structure can then lead to corrosion of steel reinforcements and ultimately structural failure. Again, the slab should be examined for signs of damage or water saturation. If the slab is dry with no signs of damage, regular maintenance is crucial for preventing issues in the future. The focus should be on keeping the area and surrounding structures dry and free from damp – roofs, masonry, mortar joints, windows, flashings and rainwater goods should all be considered. Regular inspection is also critical to ensure the safety of the building and its occupants. Replacement should be considered in the medium term, before the material reaches the end of its serviceable life. Where wood wool slab sheeting is severely damaged, it can often be removed and replaced with another material such as plywood or metal deck. Damaged formwork can sometimes be stripped out and concrete sprayed over the existing structure. In very severe cases, the entire structure may need to be replaced. Ultimately, understanding wood wool slab and providing professional advice based on industry guidance can be the difference between providing a safe environment and facing structural collapse.
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W
ood wool slab – a mix of shredded timber and cement paste – is rarely the first thing that springs to mind when considering deleterious materials; it languishes far behind asbestos, lead and recent media favourite RAAC. However, given wood wool slab’s latent instability and its potential for causing catastrophic collapse, it is critical that surveyors and engineers are aware of the material’s properties, and know how to look for signs that it could be compromised. Structural wood wool slab was a popular material used in commercial construction in the UK during the 1960s and ‘70s. Given its insulating properties, it was mainly used in roofs, either as a load-bearing sheet material, or as formwork structure for in situ concrete. Where wood wool slabs were being used as load-bearing sheet material, this is normally for a flat roof membrane and insulation. In such cases, if there is any uncertainty about the thickness or
JANUARY 2026
While all eyes are on RAAC and other structural issues, Allcott Commercial’s Matthew Baker MRICS MCABE C.Build E says there’s another problem lurking in roofs
For more, visit allcottcommercial.co.uk
09/12/2025 12:02
INTELLIGENCE
A
JANUARY 2026
study by PlanRadar has shown that companies rank QA/QC among their top priorities when construction begins (with more than 70% of companies beginning QA/QC processes from day one of construction), yet 77% still report inconsistent documentation that varies across projects, sites and trades. Inconsistent QA/QC exposes projects to cascading costs and disruption – from rework and schedule slippage to disputes and warranty claims. The report, Construction QA/QC Impact Report, offers a snapshot of QA/QC execution across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. A total of 811 qualified professionals, who directly perform or oversee QA/QC, participated in the study, spanning project and construction consultancies, general and speciality contractors, architecture firms, developers/owners and other construction entities across 13 countries. ‘Different standards across sites and trades’ is the most common problem cited by respondents (56%), and over half (55%) acknowledge they lack enforceable processes. Where no common standard exists, cost visibility disappears and companies without defined QA/QC are nearly twice as likely to have no view of rework costs (43% vs 22%). The same data shows the upside of consistency. Companies that apply QA/QC systematically are 28% more likely to report margins above 3% (60% vs 47%) and are far more likely to keep rework under 5% of budget (56% vs 37%). In practice, that advantage often comes down to eliminating variability: when approvals, forms and evidence are captured the same way on every site, leaders gain the defensibility and foresight to prevent small issues from growing into months-long setbacks.
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Consequences of quality misses The report finds that quality misses can cause cascading challenges throughout projects, with two in three companies (67%) linking QA/QC failures to delays. Among those able to quantify the impact on project schedules, nearly six in ten say quality issues
Bit of a mismatch? PlanRadar’s research shows inconsistent quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) standards are draining profits, driving rework and fuelling disputes across construction projects
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08/12/2025 11:15
QUALITY CONTROL
ECO QA/QC failure The National Audit Office (NAO) has blamed weak controls and oversight for faulty home installations under the energy efficiency scheme. The consequences of this are rework and remediation costs, delays and damage. The government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme aims to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions in Great Britain by requiring energy companies to fund the installation of energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, in homes. However, 98% of homes (an estimated 23,000) with external wall insulation installed under the scheme and up to 13,000 homes with internal insulation (29% of the total) require work to correct major issues that have or will cause problems such as damp and mould. A small percentage
of these installations also pose immediate health and safety risks. Furthermore, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) consumer protection system, which included appointing TrustMark as its government-endorsed quality control, set up in 2021, did not alert it to significant issues with the quality of installations until late 2024. Possible explanations as to why so many installations have been carried out to such a poor standard include an under-skilled workforce, with work being subcontracted to individuals and firms who are not competent or certified; uncertainty over which standards apply to which jobs; and businesses ‘cutting corners’ when undertaking design and installation work. The DESNZ and Ofgem took action once TrustMark made them aware of the
Read the NAO report at b.link/NAO_energyefficiency
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construction sites daily. The industry recognises that consistent QA/QC is fundamental to profitability, yet most firms are struggling with the practical execution. When 61% of UK companies can’t ensure their teams follow the QA/QC plan, and only 22% achieve consistent documentation, we’re looking at a systemic challenge that’s directly hitting margins and client relationships.” [Not to mention, failing to meet the regulatory requirements of the Golden Thread.] “The 72% who report that quality delays damage client relationships understand the real cost – it’s not just about immediate rework expenses, it’s about longterm business sustainability. The solution lies in moving beyond paper-based processes to unified digital standards that teams can actually follow consistently across every site and trade.” PlanRadar advises construction teams to embed quality processes directly into daily workflows – for example, its SiteView 360° reality capture. This is a site walk with a helmet-mounted camera that delivers a visual record of progress, while QA/QC data is captured simultaneously in adaptable formats to ensure every build stage is documented with both visual evidence and structured QA/QC data. Sander van de Rijdt, PlanRadar’s Co-Founder and CEO, says: “When every site and trade follows a different playbook, quality outcomes become chance – and costs become unpredictable. The path forward is clear: unified, enforceable QA/QC standards that create visibility, reduce disputes and protect margins.”
JANUARY 2026
add more than two weeks on average, and almost one in four report delays extend beyond a month. Commercial exposure doesn’t stop there: firms without consistent standards are over 50% more likely to face warranty risk (54% vs 35%) and are 23% more likely to encounter subcontractor disputes (43% vs 35%). Driving consistent QA/QC remains a challenge. Many organisations say they ‘enforce’ QA/QC, yet standards still vary across teams and subcontractors. The core issue is weak process: over half lack an enforceable subcontractor approach and a single, site-based platform for QA/QC is still the exception. The study’s UK-specific findings highlight particular challenges and key differences from the global outlook. Significantly, 78% of UK respondents agreed that better QA/ QC would improve their margins, with 36% identifying reducing rework and costs as their top priority for improving quality processes. When things go wrong, UK respondents said the main impact is project delays and lost time, with 75% reporting this. Globally the emphasis is on rework that could have been avoided (71%). Furthermore, when delays do happen, UK firms see the greatest cost as damage to client relationships (72%), while globally the top concern is the added labour and overtime costs (76%). The UK view of QA/QC then is with challenges framed around team compliance, project timelines and client trust. Globally, the emphasis is more on structural complexity and financial cost – different standards, rework and extra labour. Rob Norton, UK Director at PlanRadar, says: “These findings reflect what we’re seeing across UK
extent of the problems. This included asking certification bodies and scheme providers to suspend the worst performing installers; communicating the issues to affected households and the wider public; and implementing immediate changes to the consumer protection system. The DESNZ also plans to apply the lessons learned from this to the design of its future schemes and its forthcoming Warm Homes Plan. The NAO concludes that QA/QC failures of the ECO scheme were due to unclear and fragmented roles, responsibilities and accountabilities among DESNZ, Ofgem and private sector certification bodies and scheme providers, with insufficient oversight, auditing and monitoring of standards.
IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
“The report finds that quality misses can cause cascading challenges throughout projects”
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Read the report at b.link/PlanRadar_report
72%
say when delays do happen, uk firms see the greatest cost as damage to client relationships
08/12/2025 11:15
INTELLIGENCE
T
he government in Westminster spent 2025 consulting on proposals to drive more materials out of landfill and design out incentives for landfill tax fraud. These included transitioning to a single rate of landfill tax, reforming landfill tax exemptions and removing landfill tax reliefs. Though there will continue to be a role for landfill for years to come, it is being seen as the bottom of the waste hierarchy and reducing its routine use is key.
JANUARY 2026
What is landfill tax? Landfill tax is currently charged at two different rates, depending on the material being disposed of: in 2025, the standard rate was priced at £126.15 per tonne; the lower rate was priced at £4.05 per tonne. The lower rate is for ‘inert or inactive waste’, which covers building waste such as bricks, concrete, glass and soil. The lower rate was applied to
Buried costs The proposed changes to landfill tax in England and Northern Ireland aimed to support environmental goals, but risked sabotaging housebuilding efforts, says BusinessWaste
BUILDING ENGINEER
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WASTE DISPOSAL
increase the lower rate to match the higher rate. At the current pricing structure, this would have meant an increase of over 3,000% on inert or inactive waste.
The proposed change?
Why is this an issue?
In April 2025, the UK government consultation proposed reforming landfill tax for England and Northern Ireland and moving to a single flat rate to simplify the system, reduce fraud and better support environmental targets. As part of the proposed reforms, the government planned to gradually
One industry that would have been hit hard is construction. Currently, a large proportion of construction waste falls under the lower tier and thus receives a greatly reduced rate of landfill tax. With landfill tax measured by weight, and with building materials and construction waste being particularly heavy, this reform would have led to to a substantial increase in costs for the industry. Given the pressing issue of the UK’s housing shortage – some estimate 300,000 homes a year – there were grave concerns that this would have brought many housing projects to a halt. Or that the costs would have inevitably been passed onto consumers in the form of raised prices. For example, under the proposed single-rate system for 2030, projected at £146 per tonne (inflated from £126.15 at 3% RPI), all site-generated waste would be liable at the standard rate, giving a total cost of approximately £24,820 per home.
an average new build results in waste costs of
£690.
if the changes to landfill tax had gone ahead, this would have meant it surged to over
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How are the costs worked out? Currently, estimates suggest that the average new build results in waste costs of £690, owing to the lower landfill tax rate. 1 The estimated extra landfill tax cost per new build home is based on an average home size of 92m², according to the UK Housing Survey and Home Builders Federation. 2 Construction material waste is assumed to be 15-30% of delivered materials, following guidance from Waste & Resources Action Programme on construction and demolition waste. 3 Bulk excavation and inert spoil generated during foundations, footings and groundworks are estimated at 100-150 tonnes per home, based on typical construction site estimates for residential developments.
Good practice While cost is no longer such a pressing issue, it’s still good practice to reduce landfill waste as much as possible. This can be done by: 1 Reducing waste at the source. Ensure all materials are accurately calculated at the ordering stage and use careful and efficient planning for building materials. 2 Reusing any materials where possible and finding alternative uses for waste materials and offcuts, rather than sending these to landfill. 3 Recycling any construction waste where possible. This may require better education on-site with clear labelling and signage to encourage recycling by construction workers. BusinessWaste’s Graham Matthews says: “The problem is difficult to navigate, with the UK facing both a housing shortage crisis and diminishing landfill capacity. Any change that looks to divert waste away from landfill should be positive, but it’s hard to ignore the knock-on effect for the construction industry and the costs. “We believe that reducing waste in the first instance is always the best solution. Better planning and education and using recycling streams are opportunities to do this. Nevertheless, it presents a unique challenge for the industry.”
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these materials as they don’t undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations and therefore are unlikely to produce harmful gases or leachate.
4 Under the current landfill tax system, most of this inert waste is subject to the lower rate (£4.05 per tonne), resulting in an average cost of around £690 per home. In its autumn 2025 Budget, the government announced that it would not be creating a single rate in England and Northern Ireland to avoid imposing unavoidable costs on businesses and undermining the government’s target of building 1.5 million new homes in England. In response to the consultation, it will instead increase the rate of standard landfill tax from £126.15 per tonne to £130.75 per tonne and increase the lower rate from £4.05 per tonne to £8.65 per tonne (from April 2026). The reasons for the increase in both rates are to incentivise minimising the amount of material sent to landfill and to support the use of non-landfill waste management options, such as recycling, composting and recovery.
JANUARY 2026
IMAGES: ISTOCK.COM, NOUN PROJECT
“Currently, a large proportion of construction waste falls under the lower tier and thus receives a greatly reduced rate of landfill tax”
Find out more at BusinessWaste.co.uk For more on the UK government landfill tax announcement, visit b.link/GOV_landfilltax
09/12/2025 16:37
Celebrate the Exceptional Achievements around you Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond in advancing the Built Environment, the Association, or both? Nominate them for a CABE Award to recognise their exceptional contributions and achievements.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR: NEW
Earl of Lytton Award
Gold Service Award
Peter Stone Award
Honorary Fellowship
Celebrating significant contributions to the built environment outside of the Association for CABE Members.
Celebrating major contributions to the advancement of the Association for Chartered Members.
Celebrating outstanding contributions to the development of building engineering for Non-Members.
Celebrating major contributions to the built environment and their career achievements for Non-Members.
For more details on eligibility criteria and submitting a nomination, visit : CABE-AWARDS-2024-FP.indd 1 CABE.JAN26.026.indd 4
cbuilde.com/awards 22/10/2025 13:44:58 03/12/2025 14:38
INTELLIGENCE
HOUSING QUALITY
JANUARY 2026
27
In the race to build and at the volumes being discussed, are we losing sight of the importance of building properly? Peter Crush investigates
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BUILDING ENGINEER
Quantity vs quality
I
t was American advertising executive Howard W Newton who famously said: “People forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well you did it.” If the conclusions of a recent report by the National House Building Council (NHBC) are anything to go by, this phrase is still as relevant today as it ever was, some 80 years after it was first uttered. “The historic trend between increased build volume and a reduction in quality must be broken” was the NHBC’s very pointed assessment of the housebuilding sector in response to the government’s much-heralded mission to build 1.5 million homes in this parliament (a level of building not seen since
08/12/2025 11:18
INTELLIGENCE
the 1970s). It added: “As new home completions increase, the percentage of customers satisfied with the quality of their new home decreases.” In short, all things being equal (same workforce, same materials, same margins), it argued that if the government really is hell-bent on chasing volume, then something has to give, and the inevitability is that it is housing quality that will be the first thing to suffer.
– such as the National Audit Office finding that 98% of homes fitted with external insulation need attention, or a recent report into build quality of new housing developments by the Competition and Markets Authority – seem to confirm this. And it raises the concern: if quality is already questionable, what will happen now that targets have increased? Who is making the case for ‘quality’?
JANUARY 2026
The difficulty with defining quality
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According to the NHBC, it’s the lack of a set definition around what quality means that causes issues. It is either assumed to be guaranteed through building regulations, professional competency requirements and materials performance matrixes set out in the post-Grenfell Building Safety Act, or it is relegated relative to things like planning concerns. “The problem with quality is that it’s hard to define, led by developers and their designers, but also assessments of it vary,” acknowledges Richard Greenwood, Director of Operations at EN:Procure, the procurement expert for social housing within the Efficiency North consortium. It uses off-site building to maintain quality and control costs. “If you look at things objectively, quality is actually pretty good – it’s way better than when I started 40 years ago. We’ve seen building regulations only get more stringent – meaning builders do have to build to a certain standard. But what’s more relevant, I feel, is that quality adds cost. New build construction costs have gone up 50% in the past five years alone – and a parallel issue is whether quality is something consumers want to pay for.” Illustrating just how differently those in the sector see quality is Anthony Greer, Director at TALO. It also uses off-site housebuilding technology to drive down costs however, he’s critical of current quality safeguards. “Regardless of the government’s ambitions, quality standards are already far too low to begin with,” he argues. “Our systems are designed in Finland – where triple glazing in timber-framed home is standard – because we want to eliminate social housing fuel poverty. But these quality standards would be regarded as exceptional in the UK. It’s almost less about the rules and regulations the housebuilding sector has to abide by, and more about behaviours that need changing. We have an opportunity to really drive up quality, but is it what the sector wants, or is it prepared to do this when minimum standards exist?” Rob McFall, Associate Director at property and construction specialist Watts, says safety continues to overshadow the quality debate. “When talking about what ‘quality’ means in housing, it generally always refers to building safety. In recent years it has broadened to include a heavy focus on building safety compliance. But I feel there is still a lot more to be done to address the finer details of quality in the built environment.” The public perception however, is that there’s little oversight of quality. Recent controversies
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Delays to the Future Homes Standard The big hope for raising build quality was the UK government’s much anticipated Future Homes Standard. Intended to be released in 2025, there is growing concern it has been kicked into the long grass. Speaking at November’s Future Homes Conference, Samantha Dixon, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, indicated it could now “possibly” be years rather than months away – with many arguing it gives developers the breathing space to carry on regardless. “It’s only when the standard actually comes in that we’ll start to see homes designed and built in a different way,” says Dean Asher, Head of Technical Sales at Polypipe Building Products. “This is with better technology – such as heat pumps, or mechanical ventilation systems and other improvements. Until then, expecting the building sector to transfer to its recommendations naturally will be a big ask, because these quality improvements require different building methods and they impact build time. Government has to expect to have lower building numbers if we are to build to better standards – which is maybe why quantity [1.5 million homes] rather than quality [delaying the Future Homes Standard] is what’s being targeted first.” These concerns chime with Alex Lyons, Commercial Director at building warranty and construction insurance company BuildSafe. He says state desire to build at volume can only reduce quality, because local authorities will be under pressure to “accelerate approvals that could lead to projects being pushed forward too quickly”. [In 2024, the annual housing target was increased to 370,000 following the reinstatement mandatory housing targets for councils in England.] “And building control inspections are primarily centred on health and safety compliance rather than broader build quality.” This is the point that McFall makes about safety leading the conversation about quality.
“National housebuilders will also want to protect their land value by scaling back on delivery”
Minimum standards The suggestion that housebuilders themselves are not motivated to improve quality is also one that persists. Stuart Law, Founder of Assetz Capital, says: “While I don’t see evidence that smaller housebuilders are cutting corners on quality, regulations do become the maximum specification that most builders can afford in a world of inflation, regulatory costs, slow planning,
08/12/2025 11:18
HOUSING QUALITY
The quality challenge
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This seems to present an economic opportunity (and with all the talk of cost and volume targets, this optimism is very welcome), yet the thorny issue of what is meant by ‘quality’ remains. Andy Dodson, Course Leader for Construction Management at Southampton Solent University, says: “The professional bodies are trying to take ownership of the issues around quality, and the CIOB is taking the bull by the horns with the establishment of the Construction Quality Commission that investigated issues around quality in construction and the subsequent Quality currently Implementation Group.” But, he adds, “the turnaround in quality is going to take a significant cultural shift, particularly in an industry where the phrase ‘you’re of new build building it, not living in it’ is often heard”. buyers report This is key, according to Katie Malik, problems Founder and Creative Director at Katie such as Malik Design Studio – a firm of interior snags and designers that works with private defects to residential clients at the high end their of the market. She believes not enough builder after consideration is given to what it is like moving in to live in what is being built – and that this is fundamental to its ‘quality’. Malik says: “The Royal Institute of British Architects has called for specific planning legislation amendments to embed highquality design that covers identity and character, sustainability and resilience. But I strongly believe architects and interior designers should be involved in the design and development of new homes. “What’s also missing is post-occupancy evaluation, which could improve outcomes and
JANUARY 2026
higher interest rates and slower sales rates. It’s these minimum standards, not anything above these, that are aimed for. This is because regulations create a bigger problem – building economically when house prices aren’t really moving up any more versus inflation. National housebuilders will also want to protect their land value by scaling back on delivery. They don’t want to drive down prices. They only want to build at a rate that will allow them to sell at elevated prices.” “Housebuilders are not incapable of building more, they just choose not to,” said one builder, who wants to remain anonymous. “It’s simply too convenient for them to say quality could fall because there aren’t the skilled people to maintain build volumes. But it’s not the case. They can get the people to do better-quality builds if they really want to; they just don’t want to because it would cost more and they want to preserve margins.” So, where opportunities could lie for quality to improve is among SME builders – those who don’t sit on big land banks but want to build high-quality homes that people would be willing to pay for. Law says: “Downsizers are crying out for quality new build homes – ones where they can also have a say in how they’re built, not what the major housebuilders want to give them. We know these people are willing to pay up to 20% more because they’re fed up with identical boxes. We just need others to realise this too.”
93.7%
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08/12/2025 11:18
JANUARY 2026
INTELLIGENCE
reduce repeated errors. At present, there is a lack of information about how new buildings are performing once occupied. Many new builds are poorly constructed, badly designed and not optimised for wellbeing, which should be at the core of quality housing. “Before making a decision to buy, I visited every single development and, after a brief analysis and viewing, decided to look in another county where I found a good new build with optimal layout and garden space. They are not all bad, but the good ones are few and far between.” According to the CIOB (which produced a joint paper Building in Quality with RIBA and RICS in 2020, and which introduced the concept of a ‘quality tracker’), the sector needs to adopt a proper quality management process. It notes responsibility for quality “is often confusing” and that “prescriptive regulation and guidance are not always helpful”. Taking guidance from Dame Judith Hackitt ’s report, it also claims that having people who are competent (and who can “think for themselves rather than blindly following guidance to deliver and maintain quality”) are essential to solving
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HOUSING QUALITY
“Many new builds are poorly constructed, badly designed and not optimised for wellbeing, which should be at the core of quality housing” the “quality challenge”. Whether all this has been noticed and acted on though is still a moot point. Better training is one way that RICS, CIOB and RIBA all argue quality can be improved. Tom Arey, Director of Places for People Thrive (part of a training social enterprise), agrees and believes quality can be maintained as building volumes increase. “It is now possible to train people at a faster rate, which means more people can come into the sector and be competent faster. While we’ve not shortened our apprenticeships, we have ensured the route to competency happens faster by reordering what apprentices do and having people train for week-long blocks rather than a day at a time. For too long training was dictated by the needs of training providers, not the needs of developers. We’re changing this.” Even with better training, without definition and clear lines of responsibility, quality will always be subjective and buffeted by the vagaries of the political, economic and regulatory landscape. “Targets like 1.5 million homes are downsizers important, but the rush to meet them are willing risks repeating past mistakes,” says Pol to pay up to MacDonald, Director of the Place team at SLR Consulting. “The legacy of our most recent post-war housebuilding blitz is not good. We have spent the following more generations addressing the consequences because of poor-quality construction. they’re fed up “Quality homes are more than wellwith identical constructed buildings. They consider boxes safety, energy efficiency and durability, but also how people live within them. This includes neighbourhood design, accessibility, local green space and biodiversity. We now have the standards, materials and professional oversight to do better. Modern homes can be zero-carbon, durable and safe, while supporting social cohesion and wellbeing. But real quality isn’t just about hitting a target – it’s about building places that work as integrated systems for people, communities and the environment.”
20%
FURTHER READING The NHBC Foundation report Maintaining quality in the design and construction of 1.5 million homes is available to download at nhbc.co.uk/maintaining-quality Building in Quality: A Guide to Achieving Quality and Transparency in Design and Construction b.link/CIOB_BIQ
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08/12/2025 11:18
INSIGHT
HOUSING REFORM
JANUARY 2026
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Build baby, build
It’s one of the most comprehensive housebuilding reform agendas in England since the post-war era. Denise Chevin asks if the UK government can make it a reality
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10/12/2025 08:41
JANUARY 2026
INSIGHT
L
abour had made its intentions clear long before the June 2024 election: housing would be the defining domestic agenda of a new UK government. Its manifesto pledge to build 1.5 million homes in England during the parliamentary term signalled a desire not only to address the chronic shortage, but to fundamentally shift the political narrative around development. Since taking office, ministers have restated that ambition at every opportunity, even as scepticism grows about whether such a huge target can realistically be met in the current economic climate. The approach has been characterised by a willingness to intervene in the market, reset planning policy, expand public subsidy and
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attempt to build confidence among developers, housing associations and lenders. One of the central planks of the strategy is the creation of a new publicly-owned National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England. With £16bn of financial capacity, the bank is designed to unlock private investment, stimulate SME housebuilding and act as a long-term, counter-cyclical backer of development. The intention is to deliver more than 500,000 new homes by offering loan guarantees, equity stakes and flexible finance at moments when the market is flat. Alongside this sits the ten-year, £39bn Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) – described by the National Housing Federation as the most ambitious affordable housing settlement in a generation. By creating this long-term certainty, sector leaders argue, organisations have the opportunity to plan complex regeneration schemes, re-enter
IMAGES: SON OF ALAN/FOLIO, GETTY IMAGES
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HOUSING REFORM
development pipelines and build at scale after a lean development period as housing associations and councils funnelled their money into fire-safety remediation work and upgrading housing stock. An important element of the AHP is its emphasis on social rent. Labour wants around 180,000 of the 300,000 ‘affordable’ homes in England under the programme to be social rent properties – offered at around 60% of market rents, compared with the ‘affordable rent’ model introduced in 2011, which often reached 80% of market levels. If achieved, this would amount to six times the number of social homes built in the decade to 2024. Given the scale of housing need, homelessness pressures and the collapse of council housebuilding in previous decades, the significance of this pivot has been widely noted. Beyond the AHP, the government has announced £150m for mayoral authorities to bring derelict brownfield sites back into productive use. Many of these sites are in areas of high housing demand but have remained stalled because of complex land contamination issues or uncertain viability. Ministers argue that publicly-funded remediation can unlock thousands of new homes, alongside new commercial and community infrastructure.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Planning reform The most significant strand of Labour’s reforms sits in planning. The government’s changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) mark a decisive break from the approach taken under Michael Gove. Gove’s decision to scrap mandatory housing targets for local planning authorities was broadly popular with vocal backbench MPs, but was blamed by some developers and planning officers for precipitating a collapse in housebuilding permissions. Labour has reinstated housing targets – and has made them legally binding. The new targets are based on a revised calculation method, lifting the national requirement to around 370,000 homes a year. This includes housing of all tenures and built by the private and public sector. Councils are required not only to plan for these numbers, but to demonstrate deliverability. Failure to do so will trigger central intervention, including direct designation of land for development. A key innovation is the introduction of ‘grey belt’ land. These are parcels of land within the Green Belt that perform poorly against the designation’s five primary purposes – such as preventing sprawl, preserving the setting of historic towns or assisting in urban regeneration. Councils will have discretion to define grey belt locally, but the NPPF sets out the new ‘Golden Rules’: schemes must deliver high-
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Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed announced the intention to “build baby, build”
Where primary legislation is required, the government is relying on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is currently moving through parliament and is expected to receive Royal Assent in early 2026. Its evolution has been difficult, with significant opposition in the Lords about perceived risks to environmental standards. The bill is wide-ranging. Many provisions relate to nationally significant infrastructure projects, including reforms intended to unblock delays in electricity grid connections – a growing issue for new housing developments, which often have to wait years for sufficient capacity. The bill also enables reforms to water and sewerage consenting, crucial for unlocking development in areas where inadequate wastewater capacity has become a legal barrier. For local planning, the bill will allow councils to set their own planning fees – potentially enabling high-demand authorities to bring in additional staff and speed up applications. It also establishes a national scheme of planning delegation, shifting more decisions to officers and introducing mandatory training for planning committee members. Environmental Delivery Plans within the bill have been a point of contention. These could replace some existing Habitats Regulations assessments with area-wide compensation measures. Environmental organisations fear this will dilute protections; the government argues it will deliver more predictable, strategic environmental outcomes. In November 2026, Steve Reed announced further reforms that will be enabled through
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quality design, good transport connections and, in some cases, up to 50% affordable housing. Many planners have long argued that large areas of Green Belt land consist of car parks, scrubland, disused industrial sites or fields severed by major roads – not the pastoral landscapes typically imagined. Developers have welcomed the change, saying it aligns planning with real-world geography and housing need.
JANUARY 2026
“Environmental Delivery Plans within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill have been a point of contention”
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INSIGHT
the bill and the NPPF aimed squarely at accelerating housebuilding. These include: a ‘default yes’ to development around well-connected rail and tram stations, including within grey belt areas new powers for central government to intervene when councils refuse large schemes of 150 homes or more; and reforms to statutory consultees aimed at reducing the number of applications requiring external input by up to 40%.
Apprenticeship completion rates: 2023/24 Eng: 68.2% Scot: 78% Wales: 69% 2022/23 Eng: 53% Scot: 72.3% Wales: 73% 2021/22
JANUARY 2026
Mixed reaction to planning changes
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Predictably, reactions have been divided. Environmental groups remain alarmed that new policies risk undermining biodiversity and local democratic accountability. Steve Turner, an Executive Director of the Home Builders Federation, argues that the government deserves credit for giving housing such priority and tackling the planning system including Green Belt complexities “long treated as untouchable”. He notes that “there is plenty of unattractive land in the Green Belt and plenty of beautiful land outside it”, and that giving councils flexibility to designate grey belt and therefore more freedom to choose where they build is long overdue. Developers and local authorities, meanwhile, are concerned about capacity. The greater clarity from central government is welcome, but many fear they lack the resources to handle larger pipelines, even with the ability to charge higher fees. So will the reforms work?
Eng: 53.6% Scot: 75.4% Wales: 71% 2020/21 Eng: 58.5% Scot: 81% Wales: N/A
The answer appears to be they will once the economy picks up. Turner says bluntly: “Supply is still falling or flatlining.” According to EPC data, only around 200,000 homes were completed in the year to June 2025 – the lowest volume since 2016. The number of active development sites has fallen for five consecutive years. More worrying still, planning permissions have collapsed. Fewer than 1,500 sites were consented in Q2 2025, compared with more than 4,000 a decade earlier. Annualised permissions stand at just over 221,000 – the weakest since 2013. Capacity issues in local authority planning departments are a contributing factor. From mid2022 to mid-2024, a study by the HBF found that only 19% of major applications were determined within the statutory 13-week period. Some councils have faced delays of more than a year. But planning constraints are really only part of the story. Economic conditions are exerting enormous downward pressure on supply.
Economic headwinds Developers can only build at the pace homes can be sold and higher interest rates have significantly reduced demand. With mortgage rates for firsttime buyers around 5% and typical deposits above £60,000, many potential purchasers have been priced out. The withdrawal of Help to Buy in 2023 removed a major demand-side support mechanism and nothing of equivalent scale has replaced it. Construction costs have risen sharply over the past three years, driven by inflation, labour
‘A commitment to offering jobs and apprenticeships’ One of the key barriers cited to increasing housebuilding is a yawning skills gap. CITB’s Workforce Outlook Report 2025-29 forecasts that construction will need more than 207,000 additional workers between 2025 and 2029. Even if planning reforms and funding are in place, without enough trained workers the sector may struggle to turn those plans into reality. Though the current moribund building programme means there are enough skilled people to meet demand, this will quickly become a problem once numbers grow. To help achieve housing and wider infrastructure ambitions, the UK government has announced a £625m construction skills package. This will fund 12 new NHBC sponsored homebuilding skills hubs and a boost for technical colleges. The funding is not all coming from the government; CITB has committed £40m and the NHBC £100m. The hubs aim to produce an additional 3,000 skilled and site-ready tradespeople each year. NHBC has explained that these hubs differ from previous skills initiatives because they immerse apprentices in real-
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site conditions from day one, thereby better preparing them for life on-site. Fast-track training NHBC’s accelerated approach also enables apprentices to complete their training in just 14 to 18 months, compared to the traditional 30 months. This change in approach is to stem the large number of apprentices who do not finish the course and drop out of the industry or work in lower-skilled work. In 2023/24, 32,805 people started an apprenticeship, but the completion rate in England had fallen to 68%. A spokesperson for the CITB says: “Up to 32 hubs will be launched by 2027 and, depending on the type of apprenticeship and role, fast-track apprenticeships are 25-45% faster than traditional apprenticeships. The fast-track training will still provide the on-site experience that employers demand while being underpinned by an industry charter from leader homebuilders guaranteeing a base level of demand and a commitment to offering jobs and apprenticeships.” Encouragingly, there appears to be a growing appetite among young
people for a career in construction. A CIOB poll conducted in 2025 of 2,000 people aged 16 to 24 and their parents (who were not in construction) found that just over two-thirds had a positive view of the construction industry, and one-third would be keen to pursue a career in construction. The CITB added: “Around 130,000 people start some form of construction training that will lead to a qualification every year across Britain. “However, only about 40,000 of these people will secure employment in the industry after completing their training. “Some will progress onto higher level apprenticeships or other forms of construction training, but many don’t enter the industry at all. “This gap highlights that the core issue isn’t that we’re not training enough people, it’s that there aren’t enough pathways to translate their training into jobs.” There’s also an issue, as Chris Carr pointed out, in that it is difficult for housebuilders to take on apprentices in the current market.
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HOUSING REFORM
High-rise schemes, essential for meeting housing need in urban areas, face additional hurdles under the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Gateway 2 approvals have been slow, with some applications taking months to process. The BSR has pledged to clear the backlog by early 2026, but delays have already slowed progress. For all these reasons, confidence in the market remains fragile. “Whether you’re a small or large developer, you need certainty to invest,” Turner argues. “Right now, the economic climate isn’t providing that. The late budget hasn’t helped in some ways because consumers have been waiting to see if there’s any action on stamp duty or if there’s any general improvements in the economy that will mean that they’re better placed to purchase a house. “You’ve got to remember the government has only been in for 17 months. And over that time they’ve introduced positive measures and put housing at the top of the policy list, which is very welcome. If you go back three or four years, we were struggling to get traction from the government when it came to housing issues.” The collapse of housebuilding in London prompted the government and the Mayor of London to announce emergency measures in November to revive stalled homebuilding across the capital. Key reforms include a fast-track planning route for developments committing to at least 20% affordable
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35 housing (cutting back the requirement from 35%) with at least half for social rent, and a ‘use it or lose it’ clause, meaning developers risk sharing profits if they fail to build promptly. Relief will be offered on the London Community Infrastructure Levy for qualifying schemes, reducing upfront costs. Design restrictions, for example, on density and cycle storage are being loosened to improve viability.
BUILDING ENGINEER
Regulatory delays
“Developers can only build at the pace homes can be sold and higher interest rates have significantly reduced demand”
JANUARY 2026
shortages and increased regulatory requirements. The building safety levy, biodiversity net gain rules, proposed increases to landfill tax and ongoing staffing shortages together dramatically impact viability. According to Zoopla’s report Viability of Homebuilding, nearly half of local authority areas currently cannot support new development at acceptable margins. Anna Clarke, Director of Policy at the Housing Forum, says: “The government is doing a lot of really sensible things, but I think there’s just enormous economic headwinds at the minute. We’ve got this period of higher interest rates, having had a very long period of low interest rates, and that means that house price growth has been pretty flat and falling in some areas. That’s really problematic because construction costs have gone up. So, there are a lot of sites that are not viable and are stalled for that reason, and developers are saying they can’t sell houses and, if they can’t sell them, they can’t build them. People say, well they should just make the prices lower, but then they’d all go out of business really quickly.” Clarke says that successive governments have been piling more costs on to housebuilding. “You could do that when the prices kept going up and developers were making good profits, but now it’s very difficult for the government to row back on that.” Meanwhile, many housing associations – historically key partners in delivering Section 106 affordable homes – have scaled back acquisitions to focus on fire-safety remediation and repairs. This has further stalled schemes, because housebuilders cannot offload their 106 obligations.
SME builders and local delivery Chris Carr, past President of the FMB and Managing Director of Car & Car (Builders) Ltd, a family-owned housebuilder in business more than a century, also points to the tough economic climate and the crippling costs that are rendering some schemes unviable. He says that although planning committees are now less likely to refuse applications on allocated sites due to the high cost of appeals, the market uncertainty and economic instability are hindering new home delivery. Carr highlights the need for better support for SME builders, who could significantly increase output with better planning and finance. The government has undoubtedly been ‘energetic’ in its pursuit of higher housing supply – who can forget the ‘build baby, build’ catchphrase? – and the reforms represent a wholesale re-engineering of planning policy, funding structures and incentives for councils, developers and registered providers. In time, they may help increase output towards the long-standing 300,000-homes-a-year benchmark. But progress will be slow because of structural issues and, well, to paraphrase Bill Clinton: “It’s the economy, stupid.” The next move lies with Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
10/12/2025 08:42
JANUARY 2026
INSIGHT
You shall not pass Across most of Pembrokeshire, planning for new housing has reached an impasse, threatening growth in west Wales, Matt Lamy discovers. With NRW and planners at loggerheads, how can this stalemate be broken?
I
n June 2025, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) published updated condition assessments and conservation advice for marine protected areas, including Special Protected Areas (SPA) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in parts of west Wales. These reports revealed that, in certain regions, conditions were classed as ‘unfavourable’. That might seem a fairly innocuous term – ‘unfavourable’ – yet the result for those involved in planning has been anything but. A situation has developed that has seen the planning process across the majority of Pembrokeshire put on complete hold. Hundreds of homes cannot be built, thousands of jobs are at risk and – at the time of writing – no definite end is in sight. “In the summer, all local architects, planning agents, designers and engineers were invited to a joint Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Pembrokeshire
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County Council Planning Agents Forum. We have these forums every few months, where we learn what is going on and what these authorities may have coming through,” explains Tom Kinver, CABE Wales Regional Committee Member and Fishguard-based boss of chartered architectural practice Kinver Kreations Ltd. “At that meeting, staff from the planning departments dropped the bombshell that, essentially, they had been told by the Welsh government and NRW that they cannot currently make any planning decisions. They can’t refuse and they can’t approve – they can only validate the applications.”
Piecemeal approach Because of nutrient neutrality considerations, planners at Pembrokeshire County Council had been put in an almost impossible position. “NRW’s interim advice, released on 25 June 2025, stated
IMAGE : ISTOCK.COM
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that they were not currently advising that nutrient neutrality be applied as a blanket requirement for marine SACs because further technical work was needed to understand the nutrient impacts,” says Harriet Lavender, Head of Planning at Pembrokeshire County Council. “They advised local planning authorities [LPAs] to continue applying existing NRW guidance when screening and assessing plans and projects under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, known as the Habitats Regulations. NRW indicated that this position was intended to help ensure that decision-making remains consistent, precautionary and defensible.” Problems around nutrient pollution have been growing since the introduction of nutrient neutrality credits in 2018, because they invariably set developers, farmers, environmental protection agencies and local authority planners in opposition. In 2021, for example, a Senedd committee was forced to review new agricultural pollution regulations after opposition from Welsh farming communities to all of Wales being designated a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, thereby making standard farming practices unviable. Meanwhile, the construction industry feels disproportionately targeted at having to take steps to address nitrate levels when it contributes so little to the overall level of nitrates in water courses
(97% of nitrates in water courses have come from agriculture). In addition, in October 2025, the Supreme Court ruled on CG Fry & Son v Secretary of State for Levelling Up and Communities that the government cannot retrospectively require nutrient neutrality for applications that have already secured planning permission, it stated: “Rights given by the planning legislation cannot be overridden or diluted by general policies laid down by central government, whether in the form of the NPPF or otherwise.” Despite this, the nutrient neutrality reports and associated directives in June really did come out of the blue for the planning departments, and there wasn’t anything in place to deal with it.
result in a net increase in nitrogen discharging, directly or indirectly, into the Milford Haven Inner waterbody. “While NRW states that it has been clear and consistent from the outset in advocating for a proportionate and pragmatic approach, the requirements of the Habitats Regulations mean that LPAs have to take a precautionary approach in respect of development proposals, which require Habitats Regulations assessments,” says Lavender. “The requirement for nutrient neutrality for nitrogen issued by NRW and the requirements of the Habitats Regulations place local planning authorities in an extremely challenging position because of the lack of guidance from NRW on this and the piecemeal approach to data and information release. As an LPA, we must and will follow the law in terms of the Habitats Regulations – failure to comply leaves the LPA open to legal challenges, which would result in the quashing of any planning decisions granted incorrectly and subject to significant costs awards.” Simply put, without further guidance on mitigation and the absence of a nutrient
“The Welsh government is providing additional financial support to affected areas”
Nutrient neutrality To complicate matters, in July 2025, NRW released more information resulting from further technical work. This identified a specific waterbody within the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC – the Milford Haven Inner Waterbody – where nutrient neutrality for nitrogen was required. NRW advised that nitrogen neutrality did now need to be demonstrated for developments that would
IMAGE: ISTOCK.COM
JANUARY 2026
INSIGHT
The construction industry contributes relatively little to the overall level of nitrates in water courses
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trading system, Lavender and her team cannot recommend approval of planning applications on any developments that might further affect these protected areas. And without further guidance, developers and designers cannot build into their applications the steps needed to achieve nutrient neutrality.
Hundreds of homes
highlighting the problem and requesting it take some clear practical steps to come to a prompt resolution. Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet has also made its feelings known. At a meeting in October, council members described the nutrient neutrality directive issued by NRW as “bonkers” and “all pain and no gain”. Labour group leader Cllr Paul Miller, who called the actions of officials in Cardiff Bay “embarrassing”, said: “With a Civil Service and 60 MSs [Senedd Members] paid to scrutinise these things, it’s amazing they couldn’t see this nonsense coming. Heads should roll.” Meanwhile, Pembrokeshire’s Welsh Senedd Member Paul Davies MS has raised the issue in the Senedd Chamber with the Deputy First Minister. “It is in everyone’s interest that this issue is addressed collaboratively and urgently. A workable solution must be found,” Davies wrote in an article for the Pembrokeshire Herald. “NRW must actively engage with planning authorities and businesses, and provide clear, timely guidance to support progress ... Any delays in tackling this issue costs businesses money and could put some people’s livelihoods at risk – and so we cannot carry on as usual. There is no time to waste.” In response to this cumulative pressure, the Welsh government released a statement announcing a taskforce to deal with the issue: “To ensure that development
resumes as quickly as possible, in a sustainable way, the First Minister has established a taskforce. This group brings together senior officials from the Welsh government, local authorities, NRW and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. It is working at pace to identify and explore all reasonable options, with a focus on identifying shortterm solutions that can be actioned quickly and that will contribute to more sustainable medium and long-term solutions. The taskforce reports regularly on progress to ministers and local authority leaders. “The Welsh government is also providing additional financial support to affected areas to enable them to quickly put in place the measures required for developments to proceed. This includes over £500,000 to the West Wales Nutrient Management Board and funding of up to £1.5m over three years to support local authorities to implement nutrient neutrality measures.”
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It’s not only new planning applications that are affected by the planning hiatus. Kinver says: “The other daft thing we’re seeing – we had a project that had conditional planning approval given for two new homes, which was approved earlier this year before any of the marine SAC constraints came in. The client is now ready to start construction. Three months ago, we put in a discharge of condition [DOC] application so that all the pre-commencement conditions could be discharged and start building. Last week, we were told by the planners they cannot approve that DOC application because of this current embargo. “But it is already approved, and the conditions of that approval were things like: how are we going to protect the trees on-site before we start the project? What cladding are we using? How are we bringing in high-speed data? None of these conditions are in any way associated with nitrogen. “You could expect that if a condition asked – prior to commencement – how we are going to connect sewage, or something to do with septic tanks, then there may be issues. But in this case, these were minor conditions relating to materials and site set-up. “The planners are saying we cannot start until they approve it, and they cannot approve it until the embargo is lifted. And that might not be for years.” JANUARY 2026
How big a problem is this? The area where nutrient neutrality obligations take effect covers about 75% of Pembrokeshire, including major towns Haverfordwest, Narberth, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. Around 200 live planning applications are affected, including 50 housing applications. The planning halt has put 600 new homes at risk, including 220 affordable homes funded by the Social Housing Grant that are now jeopardised, which means a £25m in investment is at stake. The issue affects around 37% of Pembrokeshire County Council’s future housing land supply, with 2,375 housing units in Pembrokeshire County Council’s new local development plan falling within the affected catchment area. Kinver says: “At the last Planning Agent Forum, Pembrokeshire County Council’s planners were talking about all the job roles they were filling with new planners. They mentioned they were currently understaffed but they were recruiting more. One architect put her hand up and said: ‘Can I just ask why are you bothering trying to get new planners? In 12 months’ time, you’re not going to need them because you are also going to be affected by this drying up of building work.’ “It was a little bit tongue-in-cheek. But architects, designers and engineers are at the forefront of building projects – we are the start of the process. By the time you get to the planning, there has normally been a 6-12-month legacy of survey, design work and concept, plus the planning submission stage. So, at the moment, local planners are still really busy. They did say that they can’t stop planning applications being submitted for sites, and they still have to go through the process as if it was a realistic planning application where a decision could be made at the end. But the reality is that they are going to be sitting on all these applications until all this is resolved.” There is no shortage of political support for those who are desperate to see this matter rectified, and the Welsh government is certainly aware of the issue. On 23 July, the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists wrote to the Welsh government
Poor conditionals
The role of HRAs While those steps may help to address the situation in a general sense, the most important specific element in the current planning hiatus concerns the fact that the Habitats Regulations require habitats regulations assessments (HRAs) to be produced for sites in affected areas. “An HRA is required for any plan or project proposal that could significantly harm the designated features of a European site such as
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INSIGHT
BUILDING ENGINEER
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a SAC,” says Lavender. “As such, any development proposal resulting in a net increase in nitrogen discharging into the Milford Haven Inner Waterbody requires an HRA to be undertaken by the LPA, acting as the Competent Authority. “To give consent to a proposal following an HRA, the case law is clear that an LPA must be able to rule out all reasonable scientific doubt that the proposal would have an adverse effect on the integrity of the site. This doubt must be ruled out at the date of the decision authorising the project, not based on something that might or should happen later.” To do this, Lavender says her team at Pembrokeshire County Council LPA still needs more assistance. “LPAs should be provided with clear information on what mitigation measures developers can employ, their expected efficacy and whether NRW will permit their use. “LPAs should continue to receive advice from NRW to assist with the screening stage of the HRA for particular developments. “Guidance and expertise should also be provided to LPAs on how to undertake the appropriate assessment stage and apply the existing Welsh government guidance prepared by DTA Ecology, which relates
to phosphates but which we have been told can be used in a nitrates context.” NRW was asked for an update on what practical steps were being undertaken to help LPAs. In a statement, it replied: “Given the urgency of need, to ensure affected LPAs have that HRA training and can apply our guidance, both NRW and the Welsh government have been assisting them to progress their capabilities to decide and advise on proposals as quickly as possible. The Welsh government has also commissioned DTA Ecology to help provide training and information to LPAs. Specifically, this is relating to Habitats Regulations and nutrients in development planning. In addition, there is other existing HRA guidance, plus advice and tools, currently available. “We have provided our co-ordinated and ongoing LPA support within: focused workshop meetings, forums and in a ‘live’ FAQ advice document for LPAs. This has helped LPAs to confidently ‘screen out’ less impactful development, removing the need for Appropriate Assessment, or has helped conclude such an assessment, and those proposals then decided.” (It should be noted that, despite being invited, no representatives from NRW
“For some of our clients, their lives are completely on hold because they are ready to start building”
attended the Pembrokeshire Planning Agents Forum on 15 September.) Going forward, NRW said: “The next phase of this help and support will focus on how LPAs can proceed with decisions on proposals that remain affected. These more often relate to larger scale – primarily housing – developments in the affected areas. The new development proposals are likely to require project specific nutrient mitigation measures, or nutrient trading, to evidence nutrient neutrality. The Welsh government is currently exploring options for a nutrient trading scheme, working closely with LPAs, NRW and stakeholders. Further standard advice and guidance on these matters is likely to be produced by NRW, the Welsh government and others as this further work progresses.”
Situation on the ground For its part, Pembrokeshire County Council is currently working alongside Carmarthenshire County Council and other affected local authorities within the region to commission consultants who will produce a ‘developer mitigation handbook’, which will be applicable to affected local authorities within the region. Lavender says: “Consultants have been procured and the commission is underway. Delivery of the handbook is anticipated in the new year [2026].” As things stand though, none of this is yet to improve matters for those most affected. People like Kinver remain, worryingly, in commercial limbo. He says:
Nutrient neutrality and the problem with nitrogen So what is the problem that NRW has identified, and how does restricting building development help? It all comes down to an issue of nitrogen. The NRW’s updated marine SAC condition assessments concluded that nutrientsensitive features at some sites in west Wales are in unfavourable condition for both chemical (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen) and biological indicators of nitrogen enrichment (phytoplankton and opportunistic macroalgae). The problem is that high concentrations of nitrogen in the water column can
cause phytoplankton and opportunistic macroalgae blooms. This then leads to adverse ecological effects, including reduced dissolved oxygen availability, and lethal and sub-lethal impacts on sensitive fish, epifauna and infauna communities. Unfairly targeted? “New developments leading to an increase in nitrogen discharges directly to, or catchments draining to, marine SAC features that are already in unfavourable condition for nutrients may contribute to [that] unfavourable condition, or undermine
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measures to restore these features,” NRW says. While Pembrokeshire is committed to protecting the natural environment, there is an undercurrent of feeling that building development is being perhaps unjustly targeted. “What most angered Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet members was evidence presented at a recent seminar suggesting that agriculture accounts for 97% of nitrate pollution in local water courses – while housing and other developments make up just 3%,” the Pembrokeshire Herald reported in October.
“In that context, councillors said, the contribution of new homes would be so small as to be almost negligible. The 600 homes affected represent about 2% of the county’s housing stock – meaning even if the full 3% were due to housing, the actual impact would amount to just 0.06%.” Kinver agrees: “For such a complete planning suspension, and something that is going to put thousands of people’s jobs at risk in the construction industry, it’s not really going to have much, if any, positive affect on the environment. In my opinion, NRW should be focusing on agricultural control.”
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JANUARY 2026
“If a client comes to us saying they have an application in Haverfordwest or Pembroke Dock, we have to tell them we might not get a decision until 2030. We have a duty of care not to take on projects or at least give the client the option not to take on the project without explaining the situation. “For example, with one local developer, we’re doing a very small housing site with five homes. We said to him that it would be prudent to pause further design services because this site is in the ‘blue’ zone [the zone affected on the regional planning map]. So the developer has cancelled that project too. “All of a sudden, these big projects for a small practice are just gone, paused or put on the backburner until something else happens. It is worrying. Obviously, the contractors are not yet seeing the work dry up, but there are things like new affordable housing, schools for the county, healthcare projects, hotels – all of these things are just in the big pause pile.”
Uncertain future
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The official line from Pembrokeshire County Council is only marginally more hopeful. Lavender says an update to the planning pages of the council’s website was planned before the end of December 2025 [at the time of printing] to explain the situation, nutrient neutrality requirements and what measures and tools are available to developers to help them address the issue for their development. It also sets out the actions being undertaken at a local, regional and national level that seek to find a way forward for development in the affected areas. “Finding appropriate mitigation to offset the nitrogen output of a development, which can be secured in perpetuity, will be key to demonstrating neutrality and concluding favourably through an HRA, thereby enabling decision-makers to grant planning permission. Integral to finding mitigation for the majority of developments within Pembrokeshire will be the establishment of a nutrient credit trading system. However, the timescale for when such a system could be implemented is currently unknown. The Welsh government has set up a working group that is leading on this aspect,” she says. “We are committed to working collaboratively with other affected local authorities and organisations to proactively address the issue. We are grateful to the First Minister in establishing a national taskforce to find short-term solutions that can be actioned quickly, and that will contribute to more
it is suggested that agriculture accounts for
97%
of nitrate pollution in local water courses – while housing and other developments make up just
3%
sustainable medium and long-term solutions. A comprehensive programme of work is now underway. Notwithstanding these proactive and positive measures, it is unlikely that most of the affected developments will be able to find a way forward in the short to medium term.” While the frustration of Pembrokeshire County Council is evident, it is those with livelihoods directly at stake that are feeling the strongest emotions. “For some of our clients, their lives are completely on hold because they are ready to start building,” says Kinver. “Sites have been bought, fees have been paid. And all these meetings that we’ve had with planners since the summer – well, the fruits of what they’ve told us are beginning to hit home and it is giving everybody a really big fright.” If you are affected by any of the issues discussed, please contact the CABE Wales regional committee at cbuilde.com/page/wales_region
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COMMUNITY
Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 August 2025
ANNUAL REVIEW – CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S STATEMENT n 2025, CABE celebrated its centenary. It was formed in 1925 as the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors (IAAS) and one of CABE’s earliest leaders was renowned architect Edwin Lutyens. It is remarkable that 100 years later we benefit from the patronage of Earl Lytton, Lutyens’ relation, and that he himself is a building engineer and surveyor. The centenary was celebrated in many ways: in April, CABE’s Asia Pacific Chapter Chairs and members gathered in Hong Kong, led by Hong Kong Chair Kyran Sze, for a reception attended by regional dignitaries. May’s extended inauguration saw Richard Flynn pass the CABE presidency to Zoe Cox. On the centenary anniversary itself the Association hosted a garden party at Stanbrook Abbey where CABE members, academic and company partners, representatives of CABE’s presidential team and Board, Past Presidents and HQ staff gathered to reflect on the Association’s history. As a centenary legacy project, CABE commissioned a Digital Archive, a scanned collection of almost every Association journal published between 1926 and 2019. Over time, we will continue to digitise our Association’s heritage assets for all members to access, now and in the future. To explore the Archive, visit cbuilde.com/archive
JANUARY 2026
I
BUILDING ENGINEER
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Governance January’s elections saw two new members, Dominic Workman and Christine Leigh, join the CABE Board, and Veronica Fiore elected Vice President, joining Zoe Cox, Paul Grinyer and Richard Flynn in making up the presidential team. We strive to ensure the broadest possible representation on the Board. Having undertaken gap analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses in its composition, we welcomed four co-opted Board members; Kyran Sze, who brings extensive insight into the construction industry in Hong Kong and Asia Pacific; Jessica Reid, who brings the perspective of a recent student and early career building inspector; Stewart McArthur, who provides perspective from Scotland and experience as a Past President; and Stuart Fairlie, who brings a wealth of sustainability and certification expertise.
Membership The Association remains committed to supporting existing members day to day through the provision of submissions support, query-handling, high-quality CPD and training courses, as well as financial and other forms of support through the CABE Benevolent Fund.
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NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING otice is hereby given that the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers will be held at Lutyens House, Northampton, on Saturday 14 February 2026 at 9am for the following purposes: 1 to approve the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 2 to authorise the Company Secretary to appoint auditors for the ensuring year and to fix their remuneration; and 3 to receive and confirm the results of the nominations and election for Vice President and members of the Board.
N
This meeting is open to all Chartered Members of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, and the President and the Board will welcome your presence. If you wish to attend, please email alison.lodge@cbuilde.com By order of the Board of the Association Richard Harral Chief Executive & Company Secretary January 2026
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REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
MEMBERSHIP AGE DEMOGRAPHICS 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 19-28
29-38
39-48
49-58
59-68
As stated in last year’s report, CABE suspended
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Regions The Built Environment Series will be supported by regional CPD and buildeng events managed by CABE’s regional committees. A diverse programme of professional and social events was delivered this year, serving members across all active regions. A total of 28 events were held (including AGMs, CPDs, factory tours and socials), generating more than 2,500 registrations and approximately 1,300 hours of collective member engagement. Online events drew the highest registrations (1,958) but lowest attendance (37.9%), with in-person sessions achieving 96% attendance, confirming appetite for local, face-to-face networking. Southern Region-led activity (25% of all events), supported by its successful centenary programme of social events, was well attended (88-100%) Scotland Region followed at 18% with a mix of CPD sessions and factory visits Yorkshire & Humber, West Midlands and Republic of Ireland each contributed successful technical and training sessions; and Northern, North West, Eastern and East Midlands recorded no activity in 2025. Overall, active regional committees have served members by maintaining a balanced programme of CPD and social engagement, fostering development and community connection. As with all aspects of CABE’s work, regional activities need to develop. While in some areas we have strong committees that will remain in place wherever they wish to do so, elsewhere we will introduce regional ambassadors to act as a CABE representative and help CABE HQ formulate events. This new model is intended to re-energise member engagement in regions with low or no activity.
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Conferences, events, training and development
80+
JANUARY 2026
Over the past year, CABE presented to academic partners and students at more than 30 universities and met with a significant number of company partners to maintain and bolster these key connections. CABE continues to evolve its membership structure to reflect changing market expectations from government and professional services consumers. In England and Wales, these expectations include being better able to evidence they are competent to undertake specialist roles. CABE joined other professional engineering institutes, Dame Judith Hackitt and the Engineering Council to celebrate the launch of UK-SPEC HRB in May 2024. CABE is licensed by the Engineering Council to award registration against UK-SPEC HRB, enabling members to prove competence to work on higher-risk buildings at Chartered Engineer (HRB), Incorporated Engineer (HRB) or Engineering Technician (HRB) levels, therefore joining a publicly available Engineering Council register. In June 2025, CABE launched its Residential Surveyor Section (RSS), providing a robust assessment pathway for residential surveyors wanting to stand out in a competitive market sector, underpinned by an MoU signing with the Residential Property Surveyors Association, which sets out our commitment to collaborate in the public interest. The CABE Building Inspector Competence Assessment Scheme (CBICAS), UK-SPEC HRB and RSS reflect CABE’s overall strategy to provide high-value and credible schemes to offer clients and regulators confidence in building engineers’ competence to undertake specific roles. In addition to CABE’s existing Engineering Council and Society for the Environment licences, these provide CABE members with several value-add options to build professional credibility along with their main membership. We continued to develop CBICAS to meet members’ evolving needs, introducing new assessments for Scope Extension within Class 2 and 3 certifications. The Building Safety Regulator has confirmed expectations with regards to revalidation, and CABE has already started running sessions to raise awareness of the submission requirements, with revalidation for building inspectors commencing in mid-2027.
69-78
its Built Environment Series to undertake market research on improving the value of its events. CABE will continue to provide three face face-to toface conferences each year in England, Ireland and Wales, with a stronger focus on core topics. There are four half-day online conferences, with a view to increase quantity in future. One event, for Scotland (where geography makes face-to-face events more challenging) will be bespoke, while the other online events prioritise UK-wide topics, forming a high-quality core CPD programme. In combination, these events will form a spine of relevant CPD offerings, around which members can choose to build their annual professional development activity. See builtenvironmentseries.com for more. This increased CPD range supports CABE’s Competency Management System, launched in 2024. This system – free for members – supports career progression through structured selfassessment mapped to CABE’s various competence frameworks, including CBICAS and RSS.
Finance CABE performed well financially in 2024/25. Overall, we generated 99.7% of predicted income, underpinned by strong training income and solid membership retention. Good cost control
09/12/2025 09:39
COMMUNITY
throughout the year resulted in a profit before depreciation of £121k, which the Board has agreed to re-invest in improved engagement and delivery in the 2025/26 financial year. This includes Year 1 investment in AI systems to drive productivity for the future. Sound financial performance enabled CABE to limit the average fee increase for 2025/26 to 3%, one-third of which covers increases to employers’ National Insurance costs, meaning that fees increased in real terms by 2% to cover CABE’s future activities to support members. This is roughly half the 4% underlying rate of inflation.
JANUARY 2026
Future developments
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44
2026 will see the publication of guidance on revalidation for building inspectors, alongside the launch of CABE’s CBICAS Consult scheme, developed to offer a parallel assessment of competence for people undertaking building regulations compliance functions outside of legally restricted activities and functions. CBICAS Consult is intended to support those working on the Crown Estate (MOD, nuclear, transport) and in roles such as building control consultant and Principal Designer. Under development is a Building Control and Standards Section to create a community for members undertaking regulatory roles. Initially open to members registered as building inspectors in England and Wales, this will expand to include regulated roles in other jurisdictions, including verifiers in Scotland. Further specialist sections will be introduced over time in response to membership demand. CABE will continue to invest in new digital platforms to support our members, including a CPD-recording programme that will enable reflective reporting mapped against the CABE competency frameworks and our other professional accreditations. By the time this report is with members, CABE will have published Future Professional, a consultation on the Association’s long-term roadmap for development, intended to ensure CABE remains a fit-for-purpose professional body. Future Professional reflects the challenges arising from changing expectations in our key markets, in particular the Phase 2 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report and subsequent UK government response. The CABE Board is clear − we have a duty to respond to evidence of failure and seek new ways to protect the public, particularly residents, when delivering professional services. The Future Professional proposal will be reviewed, considering industry and member responses, and developed into a long-term programme approved by the Board. It will align with emerging national and international expectations and play a crucial part in further improving the standing of both CABE and its members. Richard Harral FCABE Chief Executive Participate in the Future Professional consultation before closing at 5pm (GMT) on 16 February 2026 – scan this QR code to take the survey
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FINANCIAL CABE achieved an operating surplus of £121,857 in 2024/2025.
Income Total income received by the Association in 2024/2025 was £2,767,064. Total income in 2024/2025 and 2023/2024 related to: 2024/2025
2023/2024
£000s
%
£000s
%
Subscriptions
2,031
73
1,900
67
Other operating income
719
26
890
32
Interest
17
1
18
1
Other
0
0
0
0
TOTAL INCOME
2,767
2,808
Subscription income increased from £1,899,790 (2024) to £2,030,963 (2025) and other operating income, which includes income from events and job boards, decreased from £890,581 (2024) to £718,548 (2025).
Expenditure Total expenditure incurred by the Association in 2024/2025 was £2,645,207 during the year, a decrease of 7% compared with the previous year. Total expenditure in 2024/2025 and 2023/2024 related to: 2024/2025
2023/2024
£000s
%
£000s
%
Staff costs
1,197
45
1,264
44
Other operating charges
1,392
53
1,541
54
Depreciation
56
2
49
2
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
2,645
2,854
Corporation tax Corporation tax arises on the Association’s net revenues from the jobs board, journal advertising and non-member attendance at events. The corporation tax charge for year ended 31 August 2025 was £25,610 (2024: £20,183).
Balance sheet The Association’s aggregate reserves at 31 August 2025 were £2,088,935 (2024: £1,992,688). Cash reserves at the year-end totalled £1,676,790 (2024: £1,665,926). The net book value of land and buildings at the year-end was £1,415,120 (2024: £1,444,475). Other capital expenditure incurred in the year totalled £4,053 (2024: £53,095) The Association’s liabilities at 31 August 2025 were £2,063,814 (2024: £2,156,240), which included £1,875,881 members subs in advance (2024: £1,954,941). Conference and events fees received in advance totalled £73,637 (2024: £61,839).
09/12/2025 09:39
REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
DIRECTORS’ REPORT Directors The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the year ending 31 August 2025.
Principal activities CABE is a unifying voice in the construction sector. Bringing together members who work across the life-cycle of the built environment, specialising across a wide range of disciplines, CABE shares knowledge, raises standards and develops professionals, enabling them to meet the highest standards we all expect. By supporting members, CABE improves collaboration and competency, ensuring that buildings meet our essential human needs today and tomorrow.
Auditors Cottons Accountants LLP were appointed auditors in June 2019. A resolution that Cottons Accountants LLP be reappointed as auditors to the Association will be put to the Annual General Meeting.
Statement of disclosure to auditors So far as the directors are aware, there is no relevant audit information (as defined by Section 418 of the Companies Act 2006) of which the company’s auditors are unaware, and each director has taken all steps that he/she ought to have taken as a director in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company auditors are aware of that information.
CABE Directors’ Interests On behalf of the Board Richard Harral Chief Executive & Company Secretary December 2025
V Fiore M Wadood C Leigh G Cass
M Caulfield – appointed 1 June 2025 D Workman – appointed 1 June 2025 S Fairlie – co-opted February 2025 S McArthur – co-opted February 2025 J Reid – co-opted February 2025 K Sze – co-opted April 2025 Other changes in directors holding office are as follows: L Richards – resigned 31 May 2025 D Courtney – resigned 31 May 2025
JANUARY 2026
Chartered Association of Building Engineers is a company incorporated by Royal Charter RC000867 and is the active trading entity for 2024/2025.
R Flynn Z Cox P Grinyer
45
Associate
13%
Chartered Building Engineer
37%
Chartered Fellow
13%
Chartered Member
6%
Honorary (44 members)
1%
Graduate
1%
Student
22%
Retired
6%
Technician
1%
BUILDING ENGINEER
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR ON THE SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF CHARTERED ASSOCIATION OF BUILDING ENGINEERS
MEMBERSHIP GRADES
he accompanying summary financial statements, which comprise the summary balance sheet at 31 August 2025, and the summary profit and loss account for the year ended 31 August 2025 are derived from the Chartered Association of Building Engineers’ audited financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025.
T
Opinion We have audited the financial statements of Chartered Association of Building Engineers (the ‘company’) for the year ended 31 August 2025, which comprise the income and expenditure account, the balance sheet and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards,
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COMMUNITY
REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements: give a true and fair view of the state of the company’s affairs as at 31 August 2025 and of its surplus for the year then ended have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
JANUARY 2026
Responsibilities of directors
BUILDING ENGINEER
46
As explained more fully in the directors’ responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to the going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Balance sheet as at 31 August 2025 2024/2025 £
2023/2024 £
£
£
Fixed assets Tangible assets
1,479,894
1,531,230
Intangible assets
22,130
6,769
Current assets Debtors
973,935
945,003
Cash at bank and in hand
1,676,790
1,665,926
2,650,725
2,610,929
Creditors Amounts falling due within one year
(2,063,814)
(2,156,240)
Net current assets
586,911
454,689
Net assets
2,088,935
1,992,688
Income and expenditure account
2,088,935
1,992,688
Total members’ funds
2,088,935
1,992,688
Reserves
Detailed profit and loss account for the year ended 31 August 2025
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are, as a whole, free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes
2024/2025 £
2023/2024 £
£
£
Income Subscriptions
2,030,963
Other income
718,548
1,899,790 890,581
2,749,511
2,790,371
Administrative expenses
GENDER OF MEMBERS
Wages and salaries
1,197,388
1,264,458
Other operating charges
1,391,434
1,540,243
Amortisation
1,425
356
Depreciation
54,960
49,120 (2,645,207)
Interest receivable and similar income (Surplus/deficit) before taxation
(2,854,177)
104,304
Operating surplus/(deficit) 17,553
(63,806) 17,707
17,553
17,707
121,857
(46,099)
Gender of all members Female
12%
Male
87%
Did not answer
1%
Gender of members 40 and under Female
19%
Male
81%
42-46 CABE Accounts_26 01 Jan 2025_Building Engineer.indd 46
The summary financial statement, director’s report and report of the independent auditors has been extracted from the full statutory financial statements of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers and may not contain sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the Association. This Report and Accounts are subject to approval at the AGM on 14 February 2026. Cottons Accountants LLP, 1 Billing Road Northampton, NN1 5AL 14 November 2025
09/12/2025 09:40
COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION UPDATE
Association update Future Professional consultation
D
equipped to meet the highest expectations of competence, ethics and accountability – and we need your views on them.
CABE Digital Archive ABE is delighted to announce that its digital archive is now accessible to all members. Commissioned as part of the 2025 centenary celebrations, the CABE Digital Archive has been created to preserve the Association’s rich heritage. It currently holds most copies of the technical journal from its first publication in 1926 as The Parthenon through to its modernday iteration Building Engineer, up to and including 2019. This resource
C
serves as a lasting legacy for CABE, allowing members to explore its key moments in history and contributions across the decades, within the context of the wider construction industry. It’s simple to access the collections – members will only need their usual cbuilde.com log-in details. Dive into the library by visiting cbuilde.com/archive
CABE Awards nominations still open Don’t forget, nominations are still open for the CABE Awards – Gold Service, Peter Stone, Honorary Fellowship and our new accolade for 2026, the
Earl of Lytton Award. If you know someone who has gone above and beyond in advancing the Association, the built environment, or both, support recognition
47-48 AssociationNews_26 01 Jan 2025_Building Engineer.indd 47
of those deserving of it by nominating them for the appropriate award. Find all criteria and nomination forms at cbuilde.com/awards
47 BUILDING ENGINEER
to ensure that CABE members, and the wider built environment community, are
Scan the QR code to take part in CABE’s Future Professional consultation – survey closes 5pm (GMT) on 16 February 2026
CABE is delighted to welcome the following into membership: CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEERS S Cantle – Leeds L Chan – Hong Kong R Copp – Northampton J Davies – St Fagans N Denning – Ossett M Flannery – Galway A Gonzales – Chelmsford W Hollomon – Ivybridge N Jasper – St Columb A Perez Rodriguez-Patino – Spain KW Poon – Hong Kong CT Shum – Hong Kong S Taylor – Kiplin W Wei Shen – Malaysia CHARTERED MEMBERS R Blunt – Bromsgrove A Bradley – Penrith P Cahill – St Albans WH Hui – Hong Kong S Morrow – Letchworth Garden City S Pile – Bristol I Williams – Carisbrooke T Wilson – Malaysia ASSOCIATES D Britton – Bristol E Carless – Worcester YM Chung – Hong Kong S Hepburn – London M Langley – Brampton C Milner – Worthing M Newson – Coggeshall I Peev – London G Smith – Wigginton M Smith – Ivybridge L Stephens – Worcester L Turmel – Essex M Waston – Blyth M Withers – Northampton GRADUATES E Arnold – Salford M Hirst – Preston TECHNICIANS P Smith – Cambridge J Sherwood – Kirk Michael P Veal – Bridgnorth
JANUARY 2026
on’t forget to take part in CABE’s Future Professional consultation. Published at the end of November, it proposes a roadmap for evolving the standards, values and practices of the building engineering profession long term. These form a vital part of CABE’s ongoing commitment
MEMBER NEWS
Members who have achieved a higher grade: CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEERS CS Alvin – Hong Kong J Elsey – Chichester M Hennessy – Leicester CHARTERED MEMBERS T Adey – Lincoln D Anon Del Rio – London M Hordern – Preston I Macritchie – Sandwick K Robinson – Wigan S Shodunke – Swindon ASSOCIATES F Banks – Farnham D Bowkett – Hartfield WK Chan – Hong Kong A Eaton – Wakefield O Linley – Cleckheaton
09/12/2025 09:46
ASSOCIATION UPDATE
COMMUNITY
MEMBER NEWS cont… H McLuckie – Bridgwater E Morris-Massetti – Canterbury L Peat – Chesterfield WS Tse – Hong Kong GRADUATE H Abdo – Manchester
JANUARY 2026
To find out if you are eligible for a higher grade, send a CV to membership@cbuilde.com for review.
BUILDING ENGINEER
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We welcome back into membership: CHARTERED FELLOWS A Che Ani – Malaysia A Flavell – Lincoln S Sandland-Taylor – Lincoln B Saunders – Leicester P Shine – Winslow CHARTERED BUILDING ENGINEERS A Allen – Wirral G Burton – London P Kelleher – Maynooth P McNulty – Athenry CHARTERED MEMBERS L O’Dea – Weston-Super-Mare O Ogiemudia – London A Wilcocks – Abingdon ASSOCIATES J Garrett – Cobh R Gupta – Chelsea T Larkin – Brede F Mullin – Cwmbran J Nichols – Doncaster S Reid – London D Williamson – Surrey J Wing – Colchester CABE is pleased to welcome the following new partners: Coeus Technical Ltd Fast Calc Ltd/Masters Structural Engineering HS Building Contractors Ltd Universiti Malaysia Perlis The following members have achieved additional registrations: CHARTERED ENGINEER KU Pun – Macao INCORPORATED ENGINEERS T Adey – Lincoln D Anon Del Rio – London T Dune’t – Lichfield W Hollomon – Ivybridge J Hymers – Chesham D James – Faversham M Page – Harrogate We regret to announce the death of the following member: Mr Nihal Palitha Senaratne MCABE C.Build E Retd / b. 1947 ad. 2003 Region: Southern For membership information, contact HQ on +44 (0)1604 404121 or email membership@cbuilde.com The above membership information is taken from 21 October to 27 November 2025.
47-48 AssociationNews_26 01 Jan 2025_Building Engineer.indd 48
University of Wolverhampton
I
n November, CABE signified its commitment to a continued partnership with the University of Wolverhampton by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the institution’s city campus. On 12 November, Richard Harral, CABE CEO, sat down with Professor Ebrahim Adia, Vice Chancellor of the university, alongside Kyran Sze, CABE Hong Kong Regional Chair, to sign the partnership certificate, followed by tours of the impressive City Campus and Springfield Campus. On 18 November, at the CABE Hong Kong office, the MoU was subsequently signed between Sze and Dr Paul Hampton, Head of the School of Architecture and Built Environment
within the University of Wolverhampton. Also in attendance were Dr Hampton’s colleagues, Dr Nick Williams and John Reynolds, alongside Hong Kong General Manager Vivian Sie. This newly extended MoU acknowledges and further develops the longstanding relationship between the university and the Association, both in the UK and in various international markets. The signing means the collaboration and strengthening of the partnership. This ensures markets such as building control and built environment subjects are fully accredited, and it provides both students and apprentices with an opportunity to progress towards CABE membership.
Members visit Singapore Chapter In November, CABE Singapore chapter was delighted to welcome CABE members, led by Steven Lonsdale FCABE C.Build E IEng, who were en route to a fire safety expo in the Singapore Bay. Chapter Chair Sam Chu met the members at the Raffles Hotel where they discussed the complexities of design, construction and regulation in the
area, impacted by tidal pressure and high levels of rainfall. It was great for the members to connect with the
chapter and exchange experiences prior to the group exploring Singapore and its architecture further.
09/12/2025 09:46
COMMUNITY
INDUSTRY MOVERS AND SHAKERS
MEMBER FOCUS
5 minutes with... Lydia Edwards, Construction Design & Management and Building Safety Specialist, Chartered Fellow of CABE, IIRSM and Chartered IOSH
Q
What are the current challenges of your role? As a leader, one of the most pressing challenges is steering design teams through the evolving demands of the Building Safety Act 2022. While the drive to improve building safety is universally supported, many professionals are still upskilling and there’s a lack of consistent understanding around the practical implications. My focus is on creating clarity, building competence and fostering a culture where accountability and safety are embedded at every stage of the design process.
Q
What question do you get asked most often? “What is the difference between a
Q
What inspires your work? The opportunity to shape environments that are not only functional and beautiful, but fundamentally safe. For example, there’s an urgent need for regulatory reform to support the safe evacuation of disabled people during a fire. Achieving genuine safety requires more than awareness; it calls for legislative clarity, practical implementation and a commitment to equitable outcomes. I continue to advocate for meaningful and inclusive change.
Q
What is the biggest challenge facing the profession, in your opinion? The Building Safety Act marks one of the most transformative and demanding regulatory shifts the UK construction industry has ever faced. There’s an elevation of professional and organisational competence to a legal duty – professionals must actively demonstrate they have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours (a significant challenge in an industry with a critical skills shortage). There’s the operational
impact of increased pre-construction requirements and Gateway 2 approval delays, alongside associated costs. There are also retrospective liabilities, with developers now potentially accountable for historic defects going back 30 years. This creates uncertainty in procurement and increased legal and financial exposure, particularly for legacy assets.
Q
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Throughout my career I’ve learned that success isn’t just about climbing the ladder, it’s about staying true in your values. I believe in setting goals and pursuing them with clarity, resilience and purpose. Equally important is the environment where you chase those goals. My advice would be: if you find yourself in a workplace that lacks inclusivity, don’t hesitate to move on. Seek places where your voice is heard, your identity is respected and your potential is supported.
49 BUILDING ENGINEER
Q
CDM Principal Designer and a Building Regulations Principal Designer?” It is a fair question. On the surface the titles are interchangeable, but in practice these are two distinct legal roles, each with its own responsibilities, regulatory basis and purpose.
JANUARY 2026
Have you always had an interest in construction/engineering? My grandfather worked as a military engineer in World War II, designing and building bridges in some of the most challenging and remote conditions. Growing up his stories of resourcefulness and resilience left a lasting impression and shaped my desire to pursue a career that combined technical problem-solving with real-world impact. (Health and safety practices during wartime were a far cry from those of today – onelitre bottles of whiskey were given each month as protection against malaria and other serious diseases!)
“Throughout my career I’ve learned that success isn’t just about climbing the ladder, it’s about staying true in your values”
49 MemberFocus_26 01 Jan 2025_Building Engineer.indd 49
08/12/2025 11:21
Deputy Head of Building Control Salary range: Grade M £71,713 - £79,409 (plus a £10,000 market factor supplement p/a) We need a registered building inspector at class 3 G/H - who wants an opportunity to be involved in more complex and exciting projects - to support the local authority’s ambitious housing target and development overall.
JANUARY 2026
Become part of an experienced and supportive building control service and we will offer you an opportunity to lead a team of inspectors and develop your skills and competency - ensuring that the safety, compliance, and quality of construction projects within Barnet and the wider region are delivered. You’ll have considerable building control experience covering major commercial and high-risk residential projects through to domestic properties. Keen to make a difference, you’ll bring a comprehensive understanding of the current building control legislative framework, regulations, and management skills.
A confident communicator, you’ll also motivate staff and represent the local authority in building-related matters such as assessing dangerous structures. The local authority embraces flexible working arrangements, generous annual leave entitlement, and access to the local government pension scheme. Above all, your ability to get to grips with the challenges of delivering the new building control regime. To find our more visit: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/ jobs-training-and-skills/barnet-council-jobs Closing date: 12th January 2026 (noon)
BUILDING ENGINEER
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CABE Regional AGMs are now taking place Get involved with your Association Join us for these CPD events to hear updates on the Association, regional activities and how your region can support you.
Book your place at
cbuilde.com/agm CABE-AGM-HP-2025.indd 1
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03/12/2025 11:03:01
04/12/2025 16:29
New year, new career goal CABE offers a range of membership grades which are designed to visibly acknowledge your level of competence, as you gain more experience and qualifications.
To find out which grade is right for you, visit:
cbuilde.com/whichgrade
Whether you are just starting out or have been in the profession for a number of years, make sure you are recognised for your achievements with the right CABE post-nominals.
If you would like support in completing your upgrade application, contact membership@cbuilde.com, and we will talk you through the process.
MEMBERSHIP-FP-26.indd4 1 CABE.JAN26.051.indd
03/12/2025 14:05:01 03/12/2025 14:39
10% COMPANY PARTNER DISCOUNT
Sharpen your skills
Training Courses
with training from CABE 6HRS CPD
5 February 2026 22 January 2026
4HRS CPD
Online: Future Homes Part L This half-day course will present the developments following the changes to Building Regulations and Part L. The changes will be analysed with discussion on impact for the industry. The course will also cover the Home Energy Model which is being proposed as a replacement for the current SAP methodology alongside the Future Homes Standard.
£120 cabe members* £155 non-members*
Principles of Fire Safety The course is aimed at those new to fire safety design working in the design, construction and inspection areas of the built environment. This course will introduce delegates to the principles of fire safety, fire science, fire behaviour and human behaviour in fire.
£335 cabe members* £430 non-members*
Book your place today
cbuilde.com/training *Prices are inclusive of VAT.
TRAINING-OBC.indd 1
03/12/2025 14:00:16
Return address CABE Lutyens House Billing Brook Road Northampton NN3 8NW CABE.JAN26.052.indd 52
03/12/2025 14:40