United Kingdom: Construction & Planning

This comprehensive legal update examines six critical developments in UK construction law, from the first judicial interpretation of Building Safety Act contribution claims against defective cladding suppliers to new guidance on Higher Risk Buildings compliance. The analysis explores landmark court decisions on adjudication enforcement, remediation contribution orders, and the practical implications of evolving building safety regulations for contractors, developers, and product suppliers.

The process of remediating unsafe buildings and managing the safe development and occupation of Higher Risk Buildings (“HRBs”) continues to evolve. The Building Safety Regulator (“BSR”) and the government have recently announced updates impacting several areas – the Building Safety Levy regulations, a new approach to processing Building Assessment Certificates for HRBs, and an extension to the funding available to remediate unsafe cladding.

A recent Upper Tribunal decision has clarified something important for anyone involved in owning, managing or living in residential buildings caught by the Building Safety Act 2022. While the First-tier Tribunal has wide powers to order fire safety remediation, those powers are not unlimited.

In Premier Modular Ltd v Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust [2026], the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) refused to enforce an adjudication decision worth £1.65 million, holding that the responding...

From planning consents and complex fit-outs to dilapidations and power supply - the key considerations for those active in healthcare property development.

June's Dispatch looks at natural justice, adjudicators departing from submissions and the formalities needed to agree an extension of time (EOT).

Recent High Court judgments address critical issues in construction contract interpretation, including the treatment of derogation schedules, adjudicators' powers to revise completion dates, and the survival of Pre-Construction Services Agreement...

We reported on this case in Dispatch, Issue 302. RNH sought the summary enforcement of a “smash and grab” adjudicator’s decision in its favour for £665k. Mr and Mrs James said that the contract in question was a construction contract with a residential occupier, so the adjudicator lacked jurisdiction to determine the dispute.

April's Dispatch examines the legal implications of personal guarantees in construction contracts and explores how preliminary "subject to contract" correspondence can evolve into binding contractual agreements. These issues present significant risks and opportunities for parties in construction disputes.