Vacancies, administrations, new regulations and heat pumps were amongst the top news on PBC Today in 2023
As 2023 draws to a close, we at PBC Today have looked back over the most-read news articles to see what most captured your attention, dear readers.
In a year marked with (slightly) less political turbulence than 2022- with Rishi Sunak staying in the role for a whole year(at the time of writing, at least), in 2023 we saw 14 consecutive increases in interest rates, the continuation of the war in Ukraine and a new conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.
For UK construction, in some respects it has been a disappointing year. As early as January, there were warnings that housebuilding was about to slump, and various market analyses in the latter end of the year confirmed those fears.
HS2’s connection to Manchester was cancelled in a dramatic move by Rishi Sunak at the Conservative Party Conference in October, with a Network North proposed instead.
Reception to this move was generally poor, with many asking what it will mean for land already purchased, or the other stations in the project that continue to massively exceed their budgets.
With a variety of housing policies announced, reined back, or delayed until next year, expect housebuilding to remain a particularly dynamic political topic- especially with a general election on the horizon.
In the meantime, here are your top ten most read news articles on PBC Today 2023:
10. Over a hundred potential job losses at Redrow, staff are warned
2023 was a year of several high-profile collapses, and whilst Redrow escaped going into administration, there were significant job losses as they scaled back, closing two offices and making over 100 staff redundant.
9. UK’s first biophilic primary school to be delivered by Tilbury Douglas
Net zero in operation, made with low carbon timber and prioritising access to green spaces and natural ventilation through a ‘biophilic’ approach, this story on St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy was a bright spark in a year that otherwise saw over 100 schools evacuated due to a risk of structural collapse from decaying RAAC.
8. 140,000 vacancies in construction trades as skills shortage continues
Solutions posed to the skills shortage include speaking in schools to appeal to more young people, more return to work schemes after time away for STEM professionals, and altering migration rules to allow more tradespeople into the country. But the issue shows no sign of abating any time soon.
7. Buckingham Group on the brink of administration
Following in the footsteps of Haydon M&E, Ilke Homes and Adastra Access, Buckingham Group filed for administration over the summer and later saw their rail assets acquired by Kier.
6. Construction worker dies at Graham hospital site in Aberdeen
HSE concluded their investigation into this tragic accident in November, with the findings referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
A COPFS spokeswoman said in November: “The investigation is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”
5. Trafford Council to install 24 EV chargers with support from Be.EV
Uptake of electric vehicles in has been relatively successful in the UK, compared to other countries, and as more charging points become available, more people might be tempted to make the transfer.
4. New EPC regulations for 2028 could lead to rental sector scramble
The dangers of damp and mould and inefficient energy systems were key drivers behind this research, which found that nearly 2m bedrooms in rental properties in London alone would not meet required energy efficiency standards by the new 2028 deadline to achieve minimum EPC rating of C.
Landlords face a £45bn cumulative bill to achieve required standards by the current deadline.
3. Heat pumps are three times more efficient than gas boilers, but only 18% of engineers know how to install them, studies show
Heat pumps have become a popular feature in new builds, retrofitted older buildings and general refurbishments to everything inbetween, but signs suggest there is still a training deficit.
Between this deficit and the 140,000 vacancies, the UK construction sector may find energy efficient technology trades key to resurrecting workforce numbers in the years to come.
2. King’s Speech falls flat among UK construction industry
King Charles’ first King’s Speech- and Rishi’s last? As ever, British politics kept things interesting, as then home secretary Suella Braverman kicked off the week with inflammatory comments about homelessness, suggesting that banning charities giving out tents was the answer.
Braverman’s dismissal precipitated a cabinet reshuffle that in a move that no-one saw coming, saw the return of David Cameron as foreign secretary- but in between all of that, the new(ish) King set out the Government’s latest set of policies and ambitions.
Counter to Charles’s own documented history of championing sustainability, new gas and oil licenses were announced, as well as some leasehold reform and slight activity on the Renter’s Reform Bill.
However, the lack of announcements on any kind of housing policy was described by one housing association executive as “desperately disappointing”.
Since then, there have been signs of activity on the delayed National Planning Policy Framework from housing secretary Michael Gove- but some are not convinced that slashing housing targets is the answer we need.
Political articles are always popular, and this article was my personal pick for most-read news story of the year. That was, until I sat down to crunch the numbers and found that the winner was- by a considerable amount- instead…
1. Bifacial solar panels triple Scottish Water energy production
For reasons that, quite frankly, escape this editor, a £700m investment by Scottish Water was our most-read news article of the year.
Perhaps the green energy potential of bifacial solar panels was the draw, or the knowledge that the new panels could generate enough power to power 600,000 mobile phones a year.
As we head into a new year, hopefully the enthusiam for this particular case study of solar power will drive future green technology achievements. 2050- the deadline for many of the UK’s net zero targets- is fast approaching.
Harriet Clough
Twitter: @Harriet_PBC
