Commercial Construction

At the start of July 2026, the government published its responses to two earlier consultations on reducing  the scope of work subject to the higher-risk building (HRB) regime (Consultation outcome: Proportionality in building control: categorisation of higher-risk building work and Consultation Outcome: Improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control: telecommunications work) and also launched a new consultation on the application of the HRB regime to emergency repairs (Consultation: Improving proportionality and building safety outcomes in building control: emergency repairs under the higher-risk building regime). Alongside this, it announced new funding to support the remediation of unsafe cladding on multi-occupied residential buildings under 11 metres in England (Guidance: Buildings under 11 metres: new funding and Guidance: Buildings under 11 metres: leaseholders' and residents' guide).  This Insight considers the key takeaways from each of these developments.

In this BCLP Insight, Richard Dupay and Muhammad Hassan explore how easily parties operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) could transition to NEC from FIDIC and, specifically, consider how many Y clauses an NEC contract would need in the KSA.

In this BCLP Insight, first published in PLC Construction, Zaynah Mirza considers the new requirement for second staircases in residential buildings introduced by amendments to Approved Document B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2214).

In this BCLP Insight, a version of which was published in PLC Construction, Natalie Wardle reflects on her time at the Datacloud Conference in Cannes focusing on the key ingredients necessary for a successful construction project.   

With the ever present issues of price escalation, availability of materials and the general state of the world, it seems timely to address some of the key issues in dealing with insolvencies in the construction supply chain. Whilst lawyers are often accused of being ‘doomsday preppers’, according to the Insolvency Service the total number of construction firms becoming insolvent in the 12 months to March 2026 was 3,827. This article pulls together a crash course list of key issues to consider where there may be insolvency in your construction supply chain through the lens of the employer.

In this BCLP Insight, first published in PLC Construction, Jack McFadden considers the government's proposals for tackling late payments, including its proposal to ban the practice of deducting and withholding retention payments under the terms of a construction contract.

Judgment in the case of Mace Construct Ltd v Baltic Investment Holdings Ltd [2026] EWHC 976 (TCC) was handed down on 28 April 2026. This case is particularly interesting for two main reasons: it deals with priority of Contract Documents in the JCT form, with a particular focus on whether a Schedule of Derogations (contract clarifications) takes precedence over the Schedule of Amendments; and it appears to endorse a prospective approach to delay analysis for extension of time (EOT) claims pre-dating completion.

In this article, first published in PLC Construction, Katharine Tulloch considers the government's consultation on proposals to improve the proportionality of the building control process for Category A and Category B building work on existing higher-risk buildings.

In this BCLP Insight, first published in PLC Construction, Katharine Tulloch and Anna Blest consider the government's proposed reforms of the construction products regime.