Building Voices

This episode explores the practical realities of navigating the Building Safety Act gateway approval process from the perspective of an experienced developer.

Hosts David Turner and Victoria Adeyemi (Construction and Engineering) are joined by Seamus Keane, Development Director at Ridgeback Group Limited. Drawing on first‑hand experience of a flagship build‑to‑rent scheme in central Manchester, the discussion examines what happens when a high‑risk building falls outside transitional regulations, the pressures of submitting a gateway two application under acute time constraints, and the critical importance of getting the submission right first time.

Broader themes include the resourcing and communication challenges facing the Building Safety Regulator, the allocation of risk between developers, contractors and funding partners arising from approval delays, the industry‑wide need for earlier design coordination, and the relationship between a well‑functioning gateway process and the government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes. The episode also touches on recent signs of improvement at the BSR and what these developments may mean for future gateway applications. 

This episode takes a look at the Procurement Act 2023, which was brought into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 24 February 2025.

Six months on, hosts Emma Hutchinson (Construction Disputes) and Emma Blundell (Public Procurement) explore how the new public procurement regime is bedding in, the early trends we are seeing across live projects, and the pitfalls our clients operating in and outside of the construction sector should be aware of to stay ahead of the curve.

Offering practical perspectives and expertise, this episode is essential listening for anyone involved in public procurement or delivering construction and infrastructure projects.

A new duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace including harassment by third parties, came into force on 26 October 2024. While sexual harassment can happen in any workplace, there are factors specific to the construction sector (including onsite working and frequent interactions with contractors) which mean that there are multiple sexual harassment hotspots which can be difficult to manage in practice.

During this podcast CMS employment partner Catriona Aldridge speaks to Lucy Kendall from Laing O’Rourke about the measures Laing O’Rourke has brought into place in anticipation and in response to the new legislation.

The podcast covers:

In this episode, our experts look at a first-of-its-kind competition enforcement report produced by the CMS Competition team.

The report provides a rigorous analysis of competition enforcement in the UK, analysing all 164 of the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigations appeals to the Competition Appeal Tribunal since the early 2000s.

In this discussion, two authors of the report (Neil Baylis and Lucy Charatan of CMS’ Antitrust, Competition & Trade team), discuss building and construction highlights from the report.

The podcast covers:

• A summary of the contents of the report and how it is relevant to businesses operating in the building and construction sectors

Explore CMS' UK competition enforcement report

In this episode, our experts take a look at execution formalities for deeds concerning construction documents and the possible challenges that might arise from something that seems like a mere formality but which parties often get wrong, leading to serious consequences down the line.

We also discuss the execution issues from both a drafting and disputes perspective, and cover:

• What execution formalities are and what the legal requirements are for executing a deed

Catch up on previous episodes: Building Voices | ICE Disputes | Podcast Series | CMS United Kingdom

Our experts take a look at the recent Court of Appeal decision, which revisits Providence Building Services Limited v Hexagon Housing Association Limited,  and the meaning of the JCT termination provisions for repeated breach.

They also discuss:

• what the TCC originally decided 

Explore this topic further in our LawNow article

In this episode, Anne Thompson speaks to Adrian Bell and Rafal Morek about some of the key points coming out of the CMS International Construction Study 2024. The study, conducted in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 125 senior in-house counsel in the international construction, infrastructure and engineering industries, asking them about the biggest challenges of managing disputes and how those challenges can be met.

The podcast discusses:

• Trends in construction disputes based on the feedback in the survey;

A link to the CMS International Construction Study 2024 can be found here.

In this episode, Conor Rodgers invites David Turner to discuss his recent experience advising the construction industry on nuclear projects in the UK. David reflects on his ongoing involvement with the Sizewell C and Hinkley Point C projects to discuss:

• What is driving the growth of the nuclear sector in the UK, including net zero targets and ambitions for energy security.

In this episode, Anne Thompson and Tim Atwood look at the recent TCC decision of Providence Building Services Limited v Hexagon Housing Association Limited [2023] EWHC 2965 and the meaning of the JCT termination provisions for repeated breach. They also look at the practical steps parties can take to protect themselves.

The episode focuses on:

• The key JCT clauses on repeated breaches

You can also find out more by reading Tim's article on termination for repeated breach and late payment under the JCT.

In this conversation between Emma Hutchinson, Aimie Farmer, Gregor Woods and Ellie Black, we discuss the ongoing impact of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (“RAAC”).

The discussion covers the health and safety considerations of having RAAC in a property, who RAAC claims could be brought against and what practical steps can be taken to mitigate against the risk of RAAC.

This episode covers:

• The impact of RAAC