The Week That Was - 12 December 2025

Welcome to The Week That Was, a round-up of key events in the construction sector over the last seven days.

Howells Refits Historic Digbeth Building into Low Carbon Design Hub for EH Smith Architectural Solutions

 Howells has refitted a 150-year-old industrial building, turning it into an innovative design space for architects and construction industry professionals. Howells was employed by EH Smith Architectural Solutions to turn the building into an "innovation and design hub for the built environment" where "architects, designers, manufacturers, engineers, contractors, and student can explore new low-carbon materials and test construction technologies to deliver more affordable, sustainable buildings". 

Retaining the building’s historic fabric, it showcases new terracotta systems, brick craft, artist commissions and experimental material installations. As a material lab, it provides facilities to test and prototype Europe’s largest collection of brick types, healthy, breathable low carbon construction systems geared to overheating and climate risks, and full-scale mock ups. 

Located in investment rich Digbeth (including the new BBC studios), the centre signals a regional push for skills, innovation and manufacturing leadership.

Find the full article here.

NHBC’s Northstowe Apprenticeship Hub Approved in £100m Skills Drive

Planning approval has been granted for NHBC’s multi skill Training Hub in Northstowe, Cambridgeshire — part of a £100m UK-wide network of 12 hubs that will train 3,000 apprentices annually. The Northstowe hub, delivered in partnership with Keepmoat and Homes England, will train around 200 apprentices per year and is expected to open in early 2026. 

Focused on high demand trades — bricklaying, groundworks and site carpentry — the hub will provide immersive, real site learning from day one, with accelerated completion in 14–18 months (significantly faster than traditional routes). Additional capacity will support upskilling, bootcamps, masterclasses and sessions for career changers and schools.

Designed to be flexible and responsive to local needs and evolving regulatory requirements, the hub aims to tackle the construction skills shortage and support delivery of the Government’s target of 1.5 million homes this Parliament by creating a pipeline of skilled, site-ready tradespeople.

Read more here.

CITB trims training support to keep programmes afloat

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced a series of changes to its funding and grant system to take effect from 8 January 2026 in an effort to ensure the CITB is able to support its programmes moving forward.  

The CITB claims that due to the success of its initiatives such as Employer Networks and the New Entrant Support Team, CITB has seen a 36% increase in demand for its services over the last four years.  However, over the same period the CITB has not raised the rate of levy imposed on construction employers, meaning that it is supporting more employers with the same amount of funds.  

The CITB is therefore taking steps to ensure it can continue to support its programmes, including the removal of the short course training grant and funding for level 7 qualifications.  The CITB has taken these steps at short notice to stop 'surge claiming' which would put its ability to support employers at risk.  There is a fear that the changes could exacerbate a skills shortage in the industry, in spite of CITB's latest accounts showing reserves of c.£79m.  

For more information see here, here and here. 

Greenwich Green-Lights £425m Woolwich Scheme: 1,448 Homes

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has approved Re:shape’s £425m mixed-use scheme in Woolwich, delivering 1,448 units: 930 purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) beds, 425 co-living studios and 93 homes, with 40% affordable tenures. Designed by DLA Architecture, the scheme comprises six stepped buildings rising up to 23 storeys on a site vacant for two decades, near the Woolwich Elizabeth line station. It includes public realm improvements, community space and commercial floorspace, and retains/restores the historic Electric Works as a community hub. 

The project team includes Studio Bosk (landscape), Whitby Wood (structural) and Applied Energy (ME). Approval follows a 2022 refusal of a five-block proposal (up to 22 storeys) criticised for scale and lack of affordable housing; the revised plans respond with policy-compliant affordable provision and community-led placemaking.

For more information see here.

Environmental Improvement Plan 2025

On 1 December 2025, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) for England after its 2024 rapid review.  The third EIP sets out commitments across ten long term goals, backed by statutory targets and 13 delivery plans.  Notable measures include tighter interim air quality targets for PM2.5, an action plan for man-made chemicals by 2026.  In addition, new funding has been implemented in the sum of £500m for landscape scale nature recovery (over at least 20 years) and £85m for peatland restoration.  While many commitments reflect measures already required or underway, several target dates have been adjusted from the 2023 plan.  The Office for Environmental Protection welcomed the document’s clearer structure but highlighted gaps in monitoring, including the absence of a dedicated chemicals strategy and the need for scrutiny of revised interim targets. 

Click here [may require subscription] for the article or here to read the EIP.

Court of Appeal upholds "Pay First" Clause & reviews the Onerous Clause Doctrine

 The Court of Appeal has revisited the rule on incorporating unusual or onerous contractual terms in the case of MS Amlin Marine NV v King Trader Ltd & Ors [2025]. The court confirmed that terms incorporated by reference will only be incorporated if they are fairly and reasonably brought to the attention of the party to be burdened by them.  It held, however, that the “pay-first” clause in a marine liability policy (requiring the insured to pay third-party claims before seeking indemnity) was neither unusual nor onerous.

Click here to read the Judgement or here for the article [may require paid subscription]

With thanks to: Amina Kiani, Harry Langford-Collins and Brendan Marrinan

Disclaimer: The information in this publication is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.  We attempt to ensure that the content is current as at the date of publication, but we do not guarantee that it remains up to date.  You should seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content.