The Week That Was - 23 October 2026

Welcome to the week that was, a round-up of key events in the construction sector over the last seven days.

Taylor Wimpey UK Limited v Taylor Woodrow Construction Anor

The recent decision in Taylor Wimpey UK Limited v Taylor Woodrow Construction Anor [2026] EWHC 2526 (TCC) considers whether DPA claims should be struck out where an associated company’s DPA claim for the same damage was dismissed as statute barred in an earlier arbitration, but the law has since changed so that limitation would no longer defeat the later action. The Applicants argued the court claim was an attempt to relitigate substantially the same dispute and so an abuse of process. The Respondent said the proceedings concerned different causes of action: the Developer’s arbitration claim was under DPA s1(1)(a), whereas the subsequent owner’s claim was under s1(1)(b), and the BSA s135 limitation extension operates separately for each claimant’s cause of action. The Honourable Mr Justice Pepperall held TWUK was not abusing the court’s process by pursuing its own independent DPA claim. 

Please see the judgment here.  

Introduction of Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill

On 14 October 2026, the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill was introduced to Parliament, aiming to accelerate unsafe cladding remediation and draw a line in the sand on who must act, what works are required and the consequences of delay.

Key measures include:

• A new legal duty on those responsible for building safety (for example, freeholders) to identify, assess and fix issues without delay, backed by criminal penalties for obstruction. The Bill also proposes a stronger sanctions regime for failure to comply with Remediation Orders, enabling the First-tier Tribunal to hand down financial penalties of up to £500,000.
• As a “backstop”, third parties such as Homes England and local authorities would be able to step in and carry out works where responsible parties repeatedly fail.
• A new register for medium-rise residential buildings in England is intended to improve visibility for residents and regulators, alongside a more consistent, independently audited approach to external wall fire risk appraisals and resident-facing remediation plans. 

You can read more here.

Welsh Procurement Policy released to clarify the publication of contract details notices

On 7 October 2026, the Welsh Government published Welsh Procurement Policy Note (WPPN) 018: Publication of contract details notices for call-offs under legacy arrangements ("WPPN 018"). 

Under the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 (the "Act"), a Contract Details Notice ("CDN") must be published either when a public contract is being entered into, or there is a notifiable below-threshold contract. However, WPPN 018 clarifies that all Welsh contracting authorities must publish a CDN in respect of awarded call-off contracts on the Welsh digital platform.

In-flight Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems that were awarded before the new regime came into force are exempted from this requirement. However, WPPN 018 advises that a CDN still be published for these pre-Act call-offs to increase transparency and facilitate accurate data collection. 

To read more, please click here.  

Travis Perkins has reported falling sales in the three months to September

Travis Perkins, a building materials supplier, has reported that like-for-like revenue has fallen by 1.3% over the last three months preceding 30 September. 

The news should come as no surprise given the continued macroeconomic uncertainty that has characterised the industry's trading environment for the last year. However, Gavin Slark, the chief executive for Travis Perkins, remains confident they will be able to remain profitable, stating that their "ongoing cost discipline and trading approach are protecting profitability." The company is set to release further detail on its strategy and operational priorities at its preliminary results in March 2027. 

To read more, please click here.

With thanks to: Daniel Goh, Tess Turner and Emma Caro

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.

If you have any queries please do get in contact with a member of the team, or your usual RPC contact.