Re:Construction

With the latest UN Conference of the Parties (COP) taking place in Brazil, Bishop & Taylor ruminate on aspects of sustainability, including a warning from RICS of “clear signs of fatigue and uncertainty”. They also discuss the trend for construction trades to seek professional status, and whether they are prepared for the lifetime commitment to continuing professional development (CPD) that it must surely entail.

Topics discussed this week include a new film from Gilbert Ash, the Louvre jewellery heist, a poorly attended parliamentary debate on cement, and the binning of plant-theft legislation.

In this episode Bishop & Taylor discuss the break up of tool hire group HSS, the external wall insulation scandal and the cost of gold (or should that be green?) plating the Lower Thames Crossing project

Bishop & Taylor discuss the government’s latest plans for new towns, Gatwick Airport expansion and what might very well be Britain’s best supported building – is 17,000 piles a record?

Taylor struggles manfluey (sic)  through this episode’s discussion with Bishop on topics including the challenges facing the new housing secretary, which statistics to believe and when contracts come to an end.

With that 1.5 million new homes target looking increasingly unachievable, Bishop & Taylor consider some of the blockages in the system. They also discuss how National Highways spends its ‘designated funds’. And they review some recent industry acquisitions, giving them the opportunity to talk cranes.

Bishop & Taylor trawl through The Construction Index 2025 rankings of the Top 100 construction contractors. And they hit upon the solution to the industry’s recruitment problems.

From Roskill to Arora, Bishop & Taylor discuss Heathrow expansion and alternatives of the past. They also wonder why Mace sold its most protitable operations. And they review some of the latest goings-on overseas, including the Strait of Messina Bridge.

After their regular review of recent headlines, Bishop & Taylor are joined by Suzannah Nichol, Chief Executive of Build UK, to look back on the first 10 years of the industry’s biggest representative body.

Bishop & Taylor discuss EDF’s decision to rein in its exposure to the Sizewell C nuclear plant, reorganisation of the Building Safety Regulator and the imminent soaring hike in landfill tax.