Financial & Legal
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Zentia’s unsecured creditors face £5.6m in claims after administration began. Administrator filings confirm the insolvency process while suppliers and contractors face questions over unpaid invoices, product continuity, and specification changes.
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Two companies have been convicted over the fatal Corniche window. St James and Lindner Prater were found guilty of health and safety breaches, while Foster + Partners and Wintech were acquitted.
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Persimmon expects higher build costs to pressure margins through 2027. The housebuilder estimates £40m–£50m of additional pressure over 18 months while it pursues procurement, specification, and operating savings.
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England’s planning delegation rules take effect on 31 October 2026. Councils must revise constitutions as more applications move from committees to planning officers.
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Britain’s construction downturn eased sharply during July, survey data shows. Commercial, housing, and civil engineering activity all continued falling, but at substantially slower rates.
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West Yorkshire councils will introduce charges for disruptive peak-time roadworks. The coordinated schemes target shorter occupations, off-peak working, and better planning across council boundaries.
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UK construction starts remain depressed despite stronger civil engineering activity. Glenigan records an 11% three-month fall, with residential work 46% below last year.
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Peel has launched a cash takeover bid for Harworth Group. The 172.5p offer values the brownfield developer at £582.88m and opens a review of its land strategy.
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England has changed biodiversity net gain exemptions for new applications. Small and temporary developments gain relief, while the dedicated self-build exemption ends.
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Gateway 2 approval rates have risen across higher-risk building applications. The latest BSR data records faster new-build decisions, stronger remediation performance, and a substantial live caseload.