Daily briefing
National Construction News briefing: Wednesday 28 October 2026
15 stories from the last 24 hours, three dates for the week ahead and five closing dates from our recent stories.
Stories from the last 24 hours
HM Land Registry consults on free title data for public bodies and wider ownership datasets
HM Land Registry, MHCLG and Defra have opened an eight-week consultation on new ownership datasets, free access for public bodies and researchers, and powers to restrict access where there is evidence of a significant risk of harm.
UK industrial take-up hits 30.9m sq ft as Cushman & Wakefield warns of caution in 2027
Occupiers signed for 9.9m sq ft of UK industrial space in the third quarter, the agent's Q3 Marketbeat report says, but rising inflation and softer yields point to a more uncertain start to next year.
Network Rail passes halfway on £3.5m Merseyrail tunnel waterproofing
Engineers have waterproofed 1,672m² of tunnel wall and drilled 6,400 resin injection holes on the Northern Line's southern approach to Liverpool Central, with services due back on 7 November.
FIS selected for CITB Specialist Upskilling Fund in fit-out, drylining and plastering
The finishes and interiors trade body is one of 11 organisations chosen by CITB to help employers close skills gaps and move workers towards NVQs in their specialist sectors.
DESNZ publishes working-day timetable for Post-Consent Unit on nuclear and grid DCOs
Guidance published on 27 October sets validation and consultation periods for discharging requirements on nuclear and electricity transmission development consent orders, with no fee currently payable and fees intended from 2027-28.
BSI publishes European specification on reviewing fire safety engineering designs
PD CEN/TS 18332:2026 sets out how fire safety designs should be checked from first design to refurbishment, with guidance on third-party review and recording decisions, the Construction Health & Safety Group has reported.
Welsh Government allocates £3.19m to 54 cycling projects ahead of Tour de France Grand Départ
Councils and national park authorities across Wales will build cycle hubs, trails, lockers and e-bike charging with Croeso i Feicwyr grants, while a £1.3m Business Ready Fund opens to firms in due course.
HM Land Registry consults on fixed fees to replace five-band Scale 2 charges
HM Land Registry has opened a consultation on scrapping its five value-based Scale 2 fee bands in favour of two fixed fees, one for transfers of equity and one for mortgages.
CECA members discuss CCBP call to mandate early contractor involvement on public projects over £5m
Civil engineering contractors have discussed Centre for Construction Best Practice research into 412 public-sector projects, which links late contractor appointment to cost overruns of up to 17.35%, and its three recommendations for government.
FIS seeks employers to place drylining bootcamp learners at Stratford skills centre
The finishes and interiors trade body has set three meet-the-learner weeks at the Build East Skills Centre in Stratford and wants firms to offer interviews, two-week placements and jobs.
Core Five confirms St Giles Quarter main contract executed with Bovis in Bloomsbury
The cost consultant, acting for Simten on 44 homes within the Bloomsbury mixed-use scheme, says the main contract was procured with Bovis through a negotiated open-book route, with the contractor targeting completion in June 2029.
HSE tells construction employers to assess noise and vibration risks before damage is done
The regulator's three-step assess, control, protect campaign, now being circulated by CHSG, warns that around 15,000 workers a year develop work-related hearing problems and names construction first among at-risk sectors.
Welsh affordable housing hits record 3,865 homes as Section 106 delivery slips 7%
The Home Builders Federation says private developers provided 31% of new build affordable homes in Wales in 2025/26, while Welsh Government figures show planning obligation delivery fell to 823 units.
Government to widen leaseholder protections and make product manufacturers contribute
MHCLG has set out plans to narrow gaps in Building Safety Act leaseholder protections and to recover remediation contributions from construction product manufacturers, announced at the Bill's second reading.
Set AI guardrails now, Economist editor tells BESA conference as five firms sign pledge
More than 300 delegates heard Andrew Palmer warn against "cognitive surrender" to AI, while Dr Barbara Lane said tens of thousands of people still live in unsafe homes.
This week
Digital Construction Awards
Entries close on Friday 30 October.
Building Awards
Takes place on Tuesday 3 November.
RIA Annual Conference
Starts on Wednesday 4 November.
Closing soon
Applications close on 28 October and the programme starts in July 2027, according to a notice published by Marine Energy Wales.
Largest construction works tenders closing 16 to 29 October 2026
It is an open procedure with a tender deadline of 30 October 2026 at 12:00.
Nominations for Trainer of the Year close on Friday 30 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.