Author Archives: Contributor

Stuart Murphy is the founder of tidal power research firm TPGen24 As Construction News reported in March, the Welsh Government has revived its interest in tidal energy solutions. The call for involvement towards establishing a consortium to explore the resource in more depth closed a few weeks ago, and this…

Leo Quinn is group chief executive of Balfour Beatty and founder of The 5% Club Youth unemployment is an issue I am particularly passionate about, and something that I have spoken about frequently. It’s of particular relevance to our industry, because we could have a real impact in solving the…

150 years ago, in 1871, the first edition of Construction News was published. To help mark the anniversary, four past editors reflect on their own spell in charge of CN

Tom Fitzpatrick joined Construction News in 2011 and served as editor from 2017 to 2019. He has since returned to…

Following its launch in 2019, the Common Assessment Standard has quickly become the gold standard for prequalification (PQ) of construction contractors. Now, the rollout of a new data-sharing agreement between different Common Assessment Standard providers means the benefits of the scheme are greater than ever, for those seeking qualification as…

Lord Andrew Stunell is the Liberal Democrat spokesman on the construction industry When Grenfell Tower burned, killing 72 people and ruining the lives of hundreds more, it marked a tragic end to decades of falling fatalities in house fires in England. That steady decline in fire deaths was highlighted in…

New starts on site have yet to fully rebound, but the volume of contracts signed in April signals a brighter future, according to analysis excerpted from the May 2021 edition of The Glenigan Construction Review

New starts on site have yet to fully rebound, but the volume of contracts signed in…

James Worthington is a partner in the Construction, Engineering and Projects team at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys Since the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire, cladding claims have become increasingly common. The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) recently considered a strike-out application in the case of Naylor v…

David Young is an associate at law firm CMS A recent decision by the Technology & Construction Court (TCC), in the case of Mott MacDonald Ltd v Trant Engineering Ltd, centred on the interpretation of general exclusions and limitations of liability – an area where prior cases have left conflicting…

Mark Eggleston is managing director and owner of timber specialist WJ Group When it comes to choosing suitable building materials, fire-retardant timber can be up there with the most complex items to specify. The task is not helped by confusing explanations that even the best timber traders struggle to understand.…

Lisa Kingston is managing director of legal services firm In-House Law Brexit has brought changes to the recruitment and immigration landscape that will have huge knock-on effects in construction, hampering the sector’s ability to recruit and retain appropriate labour. Upcoming deadlines this summer will only exacerbate skills shortages, and may…