The Week That Was - 16 January 2026

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

Guidance on reinforced concrete buildings with transfer slabs

Concerns were raised by the Government in December 2025 regarding potential structural safety issues impacting reinforced concrete buildings constructed with 'transfer slabs'.  Transfer slabs support the load from the columns that sit on top of it, spreading the load to the supporting columns below.  The concern relates to punching shear in transfer slabs - where the high concentration of load causes a column to punch through a reinforced concrete transfer slab; and the potential risk that this may result in a collapse in part of the building.

RICS have this month provided guidance in response to FAQs regarding transfer slabs, which can be found here. Further information regarding the Government's previously published guidance on the potential risks from transfer slabs in buildings can be found here.

£1.25m settlement reached in High Court contract dispute

Broadband infrastructure company CityFibre has agreed a £1.25m settlement with the administrators of specialist contractor FEL Group, bringing an end to a High Court dispute shortly before trial.

FEL had claimed £2.4m in unpaid invoices relating to fibre-optic exchange installation works, while CityFibre alleged defective performance and said it was entitled to terminate the contract. 

Court documents included allegations that FEL staff had discussed “fudging” electrical tests and potentially misleading CityFibre about worker identities on a Microsoft Teams call between the parties' representatives in November 2021, which FEL strongly denied.  Some allegations were later withdrawn, with FEL disputing the existence of any supporting transcript.

The settlement resolves the dispute without findings of liability, and CityFibre declined to comment.

Read the full article here. [may require subscription]

Leeds United secures planning approval for Elland Road expansion

Leeds United has secured planning permission to expand Elland Road, paving the way for construction to begin this summer following approval by Leeds City Council.

The redevelopment will increase the stadium’s capacity from around 38,000 to approximately 53,000.  Designed by architect KSS, the scheme will be delivered in phases, allowing the stadium to remain operational during the works.  The project includes improvements to spectator facilities while maintaining the character of the existing ground.

Club representatives described the approval as a key milestone supporting the club’s long-term ambitions and the regeneration of the surrounding area.

Read the full article here.

Research suggesting construction industry shrank in November at fastest pace since 2020

Research conducted by the S&P Global concluded that the UK construction industry in November saw the steepest fall in output since May 2020.  The likely causation of this statistic is the downturn in infrastructure and housebuilding.  The research also concluded that commercial construction faced strong headwinds over concerns regarding possible Budget measures which "pushed clients to defer investment decisions".  The research found that employment in the construction sector dropped for the eleventh time in a row reflecting a lack of new projects and higher wages.

The S&P Global research can be accessed here.

Multiplex awarded £250M contract to redevelop 75 London Wall

Construction company, Multiplex, has been awarded a contract for the redevelopment of 75 London Wall which will expand capacity by over 50% and offer over 450,000 net square feet of office space.  The contract, valued at over £250 million has been signed on 6 January 2026 with property group Gamuda Berhad and real estate investor Castleforge.  Multiplex will provide specialist technical input and construction solutions to support delivery. The project is expected to achieve practical completion in Q1 2028.

Read the full article here.

With thanks to Ellen Ryan, Keira-Anne Dowsell, Aleksander Polaszek, Ella Crawley-Till

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.