Building backlogs, bribery and business collapses- read more about this year’s top ten stories on PBC Today
Another quiet year in the news, then. Oh, apart from the fourth storm of the season(and the tenth in 2025) causing travel disruption and flood warnings, the BBC gearing up to fight President Trump’s attempt to sue and unemployment rising to the highest figures since January 2021. And that was all in the last two weeks.
The built environment has had a relatively quieter two weeks- but a busy 2025. New legislation across a variety of sectors such as building control, energy efficiency and indsutry regulation came into effect, with more to come. The sector saw several business administrations, as well as some sizeable mergers. But what stories did our readers enjoy the most?
Your most read stories of 2025
10. ACQP calls for immediate removal of Building Safety Regulator from HSE
It’s been a rocky 18 months for the Building Safety Regulator, as building control backlogs continued to grow, but in June the organisation faced direct calls from the Association of Construction and Quality Professionals (ACQP) to accelerate the separation of the BSR from the Health & Safety Executive, where it currently sits.
“The BSR was meant to reset the culture of construction safety in the UK. But housing it within the HSE , an organisation whose expertise lies in workplace safety, has led to confusion, weak enforcement, and an alarming lack of sector engagement,” said Gerry Sharpe, CEO.
The wheels are in motion on splitting the two, with a consultation document seeking industry opinions available until March 2026.
9. Industry reactions to the £600m skills package
The shortage of skilled workers in the UK poses a serious hurdle in achieving general economic prosperity and more directly, the government’s flagship housing target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
Announced in March, a £600m skills package aimed to cover the training of 60,000 bricklayers, electricians, and carpenters by 2029. The construction industry broadly welcomed this cash injection, but questions remained about delivering results.
8. What is going on with the Building Safety Regulator?
Following the ACQP’s call to remove the BSR from the HSE, we examined the recent highlights and hiccups at the organisation, such as interim director Phillip White’s retirement, a surprise inquiry from the House of Lords into the speed of approvals and why many building contr0l professionals were considering leaving the profession altogether rather than adapt to the sweeping changes.
7. Building legislations you must know in 2025
As the old saying goes, you can always rely on three things; death, taxes, and new building legislation. This article primarily focuses on the Future Homes Standard and updates to the Building Safety Act, with key details that everyone in the built environment should be compliant with.
6. Building Safety Levy: Key changes and details announced
Early this year, a meeting with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed significant updates regarding the implementation of the Building Safety Levy (BSL).
The changes meant the levy was to raise an estimated £3bn and was due to come into effect around September. It has now been pushed back to 1 October 2026.
5. Top 10 innovative construction materials shaping the future of building
Self-healing concrete, mycelium insulation and light-generating cement are some of the weird and wonderful materials that you may see on site soon, as this article explores.
4. Morgan Sindall Mill Yard site closed after fatal accident
A contractor sadly sustained fatal injuries from an incident on the Mill Yard site in July.
Developer Rainpen said at the time: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to family, friends and colleagues, and support is being provided to all those affected. We have been working closely with the relevant authorities and our partners to respond to this incident. The construction site will remain closed until further notice.”
According to the Morgan Sindall project page, works had resumed by autumn.
3. Three arrested in £3m blu-3 and Mace bribery investigation
In May the industry was rocked by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) making three arrests in an international operation investigating allegations of £3m worth of bribes being paid by blu-3 employees to former Mace associates. A premises in Monaco was also searched by the Monagasque authorities.
2. Sudden Clarkebond liquidation shocks employees
On the second day of 2025, employees of engineering consultants Clarkebond were given redundnacy notices. The collapse came just three months after Clarkebond was acquired by Independent Design House Group (IDHG). Insider reports indicated that senior staff did not approve of changes that IDHG intended and several left the company.
And our most read article of the year- by several thousands- is…
1. Construction companies that couldn’t survive in 2025
A whopping 40 construction companies fell into administration this year, ranging from a 135-year-old mechanical and electrical supplier to many newer MMC-ventures founded in the 2010s.
The construction industry is close-knit, especially in the UK, and many of us will have looked on sadly at seeing our peers and colleagues facing redundancies.
SMEs continue to feel the pressures of a tightening economy, but there are quiet signs of growth, whilst the big companies continue to get bigger (barring a CMA investigation or two).
What will this mean for the industry in 2026? Only time will tell.
