The Week That Was - 30 October 2026

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

Building Safety Bill: Accelerating Building Remediation and Strengthening Enforcement

The UK government introduced the Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill to Parliament, aiming to accelerate remediation of unsafe cladding nine years after Grenfell. The Remediation Acceleration Plan has already led to over 470 additional buildings completing cladding remediation, benefitting around 35,000 residents, but the government believes that more action is needed. The Bill would create a new legal duty on responsible entities (such as freeholders) to identify, assess and fix issues promptly, with criminal penalties for obstruction and stronger enforcement, including First-tier Tribunal financial penalties up to £500,000 for failing to comply with a Remediation Order. It proposes a safety-net “backstop” allowing third parties (eg Homes England/local authorities) to step in where owners fail, and clearer routes for leaseholders where there is no effective owner. It also introduces a register of medium-rise buildings and standardised, audited FRAEW assessments, plus resident remediation plans.

For more information, please see here.

Kane declares £6.2m dividend after strong year

M&E contractor Kane Group Building Services declared a £6.2m dividend after a strong financial year. Pre-tax profit rose by almost 45% to £6.4m on higher turnover, with margin improving to 6.3%. The distribution was equivalent to 96% of Kane's £6.5m post-tax profit.

Capital investment increased sharply, following a multimillion-pound M&E package on Sisk’s £42m Edgbaston Stadium redevelopment. Cash generation also improved, with operating cashflow more than doubling from the previous year.

Kane noted that materials inflation is easing, but skills shortages persist amid tight labour markets. It added that residential new build activity remains slow, which it attributed to the Building Safety Act 2022. The contractor said it is leaning on sector diversification to strengthen in-house design and expand offsite manufacturing.

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McBains tips infrastructure-led uplift as output growth steadies

McBains’ latest forecasts suggest the UK construction market is set for a gradual upturn, with output expected to rise 1.8% in 2027 and peaking at 2.8% in 2028 before easing through 2029 and 2030. The consultancy predicts economic activity will transition into a more stable phase after recent disruption, though a fast rebound is unlikely.

Infrastructure is expected to drive the improvement, with activity projected to increase 14% between 2026 and 2031. McBains also points to stronger prospects in defence, healthcare, and data centres, while residential and commercial work is expected to recover more selectively as costs continue to bite.

The report flags continued pressure from energy prices, labour shortages, and materials, with steel singled out as a key near-term risk as import controls tighten and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism approaches. McBains says well-funded projects with firm approvals, procurement plans and delivery strategies will be best placed to limit inflation and supply-chain exposure.

To read more, please click here.

High Court casts doubt on lift adjudication where no contract was signed

A subcontract dispute for the supply of lifts at Chalkwell railway station has highlighted the risk of commencing work before contractual arrangements are finalised.

Octavius Infrastructure Ltd and Serapid Ltd negotiated a proposed NEC3 subcontract and Serapid began procuring and manufacturing lift components before the agreement was signed. When Network Rail subsequently opted for alternative lift technology, Octavius informed Serapid that its services were no longer required, maintaining that no binding contract existed. Serapid referred the dispute to adjudication and was awarded £416,499, excluding VAT. Octavius resisted enforcement in the High Court, arguing that the parties had never intended to be legally bound without a concluded contract.

The High Court refused summary judgment, finding that Octavius had demonstrated a realistic prospect of establishing that no contract had been formed. The decision underlines a practical point for contractors and suppliers: early mobilisation during negotiations can leave both payment recovery and adjudication rights exposed.

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Balfour Beatty Secures Early Works Role on Yorkshire Offshore Wind Grid Link

Balfour Beatty has won a contract to deliver design and enabling works for National Grid’s new 400kV Birkhill Wood substation in East Yorkshire, ahead of main construction due to start next year. The firm will provide early contractor involvement, including detailed design and site preparation, as the first phase of the project. The substation will connect 4.22GW of offshore wind from three planned North Sea wind farms — RWE and Masdar’s Dogger Bank South East and South West and SSE Renewables and Equinor’s proposed Dogger Bank D — enough to power more than four million homes, according to National Grid. Located about 700 metres north of the existing Creyke Beck facility, it has planning permission (granted February) and will use gas-insulated technology to reduce footprint. National Grid expects construction to start in Q2 2027 and commissioning in 2030, with around 200 jobs at peak.

For more information, please see here.

Transport Scotland picks Wills Bros for 6.4km A9 dualling scheme

The Scottish Government has signalled an award to Wills Bros Civil Engineering for the £220m contract to dual the A9 between Pitlochry and Killiecrankie. The announcement marks the final procurement phase and the appointment will be confirmed once the mandatory standstill period has been completed.

The 6.4km project forms part of the wider £3.97bn programme to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness. The work supports the aim of having 50% of the route operating as dual carriageway by 2030 and will include grade-separated junctions, active travel provision and flood mitigation measures.

Advance works are already under way, including archaeological investigations, tree felling and demolition of vacant properties. The contract is expected to support 60 full-time equivalent jobs and roles for 17 graduates, 11 apprentices and eight new entrants. Transport Scotland also forecasts around £33m for local SMEs, alongside £350,000 of social value commitments and community engagement events post-award.

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With thanks to: Ruth Hassard, Joshua Burgess and Josh Ovens

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.