Building Weekly Digest | 12 July 2024

It's been quite week at Building - from breaking news, in-depth project studies to events, the whole team has been kept busy.

We have kept up-to-date with the fallout from the general election, hosted insightful roundtables and announced the finalists for the 2024 Building Awards.

Read on to explore the latest headlines, in-depth analysis and upcoming events below.

Infrastructure update: What challenges does Labour face and what can the industry expect?

Simon Rawlinson from Arcadis has examined Labour's infrastructure challenges after the election. In this infrastructure update, Rawlinson discusses how the new government can accelerate delivery while balancing historic restoration with modern demands. Read more on the critical issues in the construction sector, planning bottlenecks, and the urgent need for strategic reforms. Read the full article here.

British Land’s resurrection of Norton Folgate

In this piece, technical editor Thomas Lane explores British Land 's Norton Folgate project in Spitalfields, detailing how the controversial development sensitively blends historic restoration with modern design.

Read more about this architectural balancing act that is transforming London's urban landscape here.

The latest on ISG sale

Building's deputy editor David Rogers last week revealed ISG was just days away from a sale. This week he followed the story, confirming that despite the fact the sale had not been finalised, the contractor remained confident of announcing its new owner ‘imminently’. Chairman Matt Roche has indicated that the sale includes significant investment to support the company’s recovery after months of uncertainty.

Read more here about the saga here.

Project visit: Roger De Haan's Folkestone housing project

Former Saga owner Roger De Haan's luxury Shoreline Crescent housing scheme in Folkestone has sparked controversy over its affordability, with critics questioning its impact on local housing.

Senior reporter Tom Lowe has offered an insightful tour of the completed project, highlighting its design quality and the challenges it faced.

Discover more about the debate surrounding this development here.

Election focus: Highlights

• Paul Smith , managing director at The Strategic Land Group , examined The Labour Party 's internal conflicts over green belt reform amid the housing crisis. With many new Labour MPs in anti-development constituencies, will Starmer push through his plans? Discover the political dynamics at play here.
• Rachel Reeves, the new chancellor, has announced significant changes to Britain's planning policies. In her first major speech, she reversed the ban on onshore wind projects and reinstated mandatory housing targets. Discover how these reforms aim to accelerate infrastructure and housing development. The full article is available here
• Data company Glenigan | Powered by Hubexo has forecast a 7% rise in project starts next year, driven by the new Labour government's spending plans and a strong majority. Read more to explore how these changes will impact the sector.

Events update

The Building Awards shortlist is out now and the awards night on 5 November, which is the 30th anniversary edition of the awards, is one not to miss. Secure your place today. Tickets are also selling quickly for the Architect of the Year Awards.

On Wednesday we hosted an insightful roundtable in partnership with Jubb on de-risking data centre delivery. Keep an eye out in Building Magazine write up, and read industry leaders insight to the topic.

Secure your spot now for Housing Today Live's inaugural conference on September 18th, partnered with The G15 , the Chartered Institute of Housing , and the The Housing Forum , featuring dynamic panels, keynotes, and networking opportunities. In the afternoon, join the Building the Future Conference with interactive panels and an evening event with the 2024 Building Awards and Architect of the Year Awards finalists.

From the news desk

Our journalists have been hard at it covering the biggest stories within the built environment this week. Here's selection of the stories to hit the headlines over the last few days.

• Procurement strategy on ￡900m London towers job close to being finalised
• Output on the up as warmer weather gives boost to housing work
• Lendlease’s development arm begins consultation on job losses
• Willmott Dixon sinks into red
• Climate policies hit City of London’s Barbican repair works with 16 month delay and 60% cost hike

Thank you for reading and have a fantastic weekend!