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Image: Keltbray

Keltbray overcomes hurdles on early works for British Library extension

Keltbray is progressing with enabling works on a major addition to the British Library to the north of the existing building.

Built in 1910, the refurbished 5 Chancery Lane will offer 105,000 sq ft of modern office space between Holborn and Fleet Street. Image: Courtesy of Red Group

Red Group takes over 5 Chancery Lane overhaul from expired Ardmore

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Pedestrianisation of Oxford Street finally starts next week

Beard gives T-level students hands-on construction experience

Sector Skills Plans (image: Sculpies, Dreamstime)

Construction Jobs Plan sets ambition for 100,000 opportunities a year

Image: St John Ambulance

Scaffolding boss draws on first aid course to save colleague’s life

Gus Wiseman has been Patrizia’s UK director of product since February this year. He was previously global head of investor relations at the Office for Investment, a joint unit of No.10, HM Treasury and the Department for Business and Trade. Image: Patrizia

‘Devolution makes UK more investable,’ says German firm spending £1bn on UK housing

The latest building control gateway 2 update from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) shows a continuing de-gumming of this new and complex process. The 12 weeks to 30 May saw an increase in approval rates across all categories of applications, including existing building safety projects, after it introduced an external remediation improvement plan in April. The plan introduced a new external remediation multidisciplinary team to mirror the Innovation Unit (IU) set up last September. This streamlines communication and processing through dedicated account managers. It also saw a recruitment drive to cut individual caseloads from an average of 25 down to around 10. For new builds, IU decisions overtook the number of new cases received in the period. Across all categories, BSR made 358 gateway 2 decisions, with a 75% approval rate. 65% of all decisions related to London cases. Applications representing 14,928 units were determined, of which 9,499 (64%) were approvals. There are currently 38,775 residential units in live cases. New applications for 13,964 units came in during the period. External remediation approvals up The IU approved 90% of cases – 28 out of 31 – in the period. London saw a 100% approval rate for its 19 case decisions. The regulator said this reflects the extra engagement with applicants. All-time IU approvals now stand at 43, with a median approval time of 22 weeks. The IU is currently managing 131 applications, representing 30,369 units. On external remediation, approval rates rose to 79% over the last 12 weeks, well above the minimum 65% end of year target for 2026. BSR credits operational improvements and intensive work to improve quality of applications. Currently, 16 legacy remediation applications from 2024 remain. A further 10 are on track to be determined in June. This is down from 42 outstanding at the beginning of 2026. BSR said the data show that 2026 applications are progressing faster than before. The average approval time is still 39 weeks in a rolling 12-week period, but BSR said this was “being skewed by our focus on closing out the older 2024/2025 applications”. People still waiting “We continue to see positive improvements in numbers of approvals for both new build and existing building remediation cases, as well as significantly faster decision times,” said acting BSR chief executive Charlie Pugsley. “This includes continued positive results from our Innovation Unit by working closely with applicants to safely resolve complex technical challenges. This positive engagement has seen a growing number of decisions and rising approval rates.” He added: “However, we recognise that people living in other unremediated buildings still want them to be fixed safely, and at pace.”

Contractors question client knowledge of safety duties in BESA survey

New general builder apprenticeship proposed to address SME skills needs

The five-block scheme replaced a car park on a sloping site that varies in height by eight metres. Image: Rob Parrish

Croydon Council resi scheme wins RIBA Stirling Prize

Mental health pressures (Tinnakorn Jorruang, Dreamstime)

Free suicide prevention guide for firms without HR resource

London has one apprenticeship start for every 30 construction employers, says CITB

Construction worker wearing safety noise disruptive earmuffs protection at a construction site

HSE launches campaign to reduce noise and vibration health impacts

Image: High Level Photography

Battersea Power Station site gets finance for final 16 acres

Following the Grenfell tower disaster, all cladding panels were removed the the Bray Tower Block, Chalcots Estate - the National Audit Office is asking government to set a deadline for cladding remediation.

Government proposes tightening remediation regime for high-risk resi blocks

RO Group’s refurb of Silbury House, built in 1998, made it the only UK building to hold a 5-Star NABERS UK rating. Image: RO Group

Say hello to Milton Keynes’ healthiest and most sustainable office building

ECITB training highlights the importance of inclusive PPE

Willmott Dixon opens 37 trainee roles for 175th anniversary year

Construction for Women launches Emerging Leaders programme

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QS becomes first Impact Ambassador on college scheme

The government pledged the new NHCs by 2035 as part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, with the first 120 to open by 2030. Image: Bialasiewicz | Dreamstime.com

Wates and NHS publish blueprint for delivering 250 health centres by 2035

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