Reasons to be optimistic about the UK’s construction sector August 13, 2025 There are some early signs the UK’s beleaguered construction industry is turning a corner as higher demand, higher government investment and lower interest rates set shovels in the ground. Judging by the numbers so far this year, the UK’s construction industry is in a bad place: The sector contracted at the fastest pace since 2020 [...]
Balfour Beatty receives profit boost from government contracts August 13, 2025 Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty recorded a jump in profit for the first half of the year after a bumper performance in its UK construction. The London-listed firm posted a £20m rise in pre-tax profit for the first six months of the year to £132m, up from £112m last year. It came as the business’ UK [...]
UK risks squandering AI investment without urgent action on data centres July 30, 2025 The UK could lose out on billions of pounds in AI investment unless it tackles growing obstacles to data centre development, a new report has warned, as infrastructure experts urge the government to move faster on planning reform and energy policy. The ‘how to make the UK an AI leader’ report, published by techUK, the [...]
UK’s AI vision faces infrastructure reality check July 25, 2025 The UK government has set ambitions to become a global leader in AI research, safety and commercialisation. Over £2.5bn has been committed to compute infrastructure, with new supercomputers being built in Edinburgh and Bristol, and “AI Growth Zones” being launched across regions including Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. But a growing chorus of voices [...]
Labour moots breaking Heathrow third runway ‘doom loop’ with new powers July 7, 2025 The Labour government is exploring how to break Heathrow’s third runway “doom loop” via new parliamentary powers that would fast-track big projects. Ministers are examining whether legislation could be enacted to enable the UK’s biggest hub to bypass parts of the planning process. The proposals, first reported by the Times, would also apply to other [...]
CMA to probe delivery of UK road and railway projects as costs soar June 19, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog will launch a review into the delivery of UK road and railway infrastructure amid widespread delays and cost overruns. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its study would focus on “persistent issues around cost and delivery” of schemes across the country. It comes a day after the government delayed HS2 [...]
Infrastructure strategy: Hospitals and schools focus of funding push June 19, 2025 The government will plough £10bn a year into restoring Britain’s crumbling schools, hospitals and prisons as part of a long-awaited infrastructure strategy outlining the state’s investment priorities over the next decade. Over £6bn a year will be devoted to hospital maintenance over the next decade, in a move that the Treasury said will cut waiting [...]
The truth about infrastructure: investors need a return June 19, 2025 The government is set to unveil it’s 10-year infrastructure strategy. To make it a success, they must dial down the negative rhetoric – especially when it comes to water, says Jon Phillips The government has placed private investment at the heart of its growth mission. So, today’s 10-year infrastructure strategy – setting out the country’s [...]
Reeves to lay out 10-year infrastructure plan worth £725bn June 15, 2025 Chancellor Reeves is set to deliver a 10-year infrastructure strategy plan which will lay out efforts to boost growth and upgrade services across the UK. The new blueprint for UK infrastructure will come around a week after Reeves delivered the Spending Review, which marked out £190bn in extra government spending commitments for the years between [...]
Majority of Labour MPs oppose Reeves’ fiscal rules June 2, 2025 Two thirds of Labour MPs oppose Rachel Reeves’ fiscal rules, and twenty percent would prefer tax rises over spending cuts. Polling by Survation, shared with The Times, showed that 64 per cent of Labour MPs said Reeves’ rules inhibit ministers’ abilities to meet their objectives, including: raising living standards, improving public services, and combatting climate [...]