Daily briefing
National Construction News briefing: Tuesday 20 October 2026
Nine stories from the last 24 hours, two dates for the week ahead and four closing dates from our recent stories.
Stories from the last 24 hours
Pagabo names 56 contractors on £5bn National Framework for Major Works 2026
Morgan Sindall, Wates and BAM are among the firms appointed across five lots on the four-year public sector framework, the first brought to market under Pagabo's 10-year partnership with YPO.
ARCA names 11 agencies for 2026 Gold Labour Agency Award, up from eight
The Asbestos Removal Contractors Association has recognised 11 labour agencies for office audit performance in 2026, with three names not on last year's list joining all eight of the 2025 winners.
Euston brochure sets out potential for 6,000 homes over 30-plus years
The Euston Housing Delivery Group's Euston Opportunity Brochure, published by MHCLG, puts the long-term housing potential of the area at around three times the 2,000 homes in Camden's own planning documents.
BESA survey finds 74% of firms see no significant change in client behaviour under Building Safety Act
The trade body's third annual survey shows awareness of the Act is widespread among contractors, but respondents report frustration with clients, commercial pressure and gaps in historic project records.
Pagabo names 52 suppliers to £26bn developer-led framework with new consultancy and legal lots
Second-generation National Framework for Developer-Led Schemes goes live under YPO as contracting authority, adding development consultants and legal providers to a seven-lot structure for the first time.
CPA says fuel, staff and tax costs are holding back plant-hire investment
The Construction Plant-hire Association said fuel costs, hiring risk and tax liabilities are stopping hire firms investing in people and equipment, as ONS data showed construction output falling again in August.
CECA profiles HOCHTIEF UK tunnel surveyor Emily Mulley in 30 Under 30 series
The site engineer keeps a tunnel boring machine on line beneath Snowdonia on HOCHTIEF UK's £207m National Grid contract, and won the South West Princess Royal Award for Emerging Engineers in 2025.
Hiatt Hardware signs up as sponsor of construction charity Band of Builders
The Birmingham-based hardware supplier will provide products and equipment for the charity's projects and support its annual Big Brew mental health campaign, Band of Builders has announced.
Project manager raises £1,325 for Lighthouse Charity after finishing first Ironman in Italy
Jack Richards completed the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run in 13 hours 38 minutes after nearly three years of training, fundraising for the charity whose counselling he had used.
This week
RICS UK Awards
Takes place on Thursday 22 October.
NHBC Pride in the Job Awards
Takes place on Friday 23 October.
Closing soon
That consultation runs until 21 October.
Public-sector buyers have 121 construction works tenders closing on Find a Tender between 9 and 22 October 2026, with the 105 single contracts that carry an estimate valued at £431.0 million in total, according to Cabinet Office open data.
Largest construction works tenders closing 16 to 29 October 2026
NOCN Group has opened a new round of its Foundation's Skills Innovation Grant programme, offering grants of £500 to £15,000 for pilot training projects, with applications closing on 15 December and a webinar for applicants on 3 November.
About this briefing
Published on weekday mornings. Every item comes from a story National Construction News has already published and checked against its sources, from dates organisers have published, or from our data trackers. See the events and awards calendar, or get the week's stories by email with the weekly newsletter.