This week’s briefing covers planning policy changes, construction sector activity and several development finance examples. The items include a package of revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and project-level developments affecting delivery and decarbonisation.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
- Government publishes a revised NPPF that strengthens landscape protections and adds explicit wording on safety for women and girls. (Planning Resource)
- Barbour ABI says UK office construction output fell 20% in 2025 and may tighten further in 2026. (The Construction Index)
- The Federation of Piling Specialists establishes a baseline for foundation carbon using data from 63 projects. (The Construction Index)
- SevenCapital assumes construction control of the 100 Kensington residential scheme after contractor Ardmore went into administration. (Construction Enquirer)
PLANNING & REGULATION
Revised NPPF increases protections and adds design safety wording
Planning Resource reports the government has finalised a revised National Planning Policy Framework that strengthens protections for national parks and landscapes compared with the draft. The revision also explicitly recognises the need to consider the safety of women and girls in place design, a change made after campaign and parliamentary pressure. Separate coverage cited in Planning Resource notes reports that the revised NPPF may soften planning rules for traveller sites.
Local plans, spatial strategies and dropped tenure proposals
Planning Resource also reports the government has cut the statutory minimum plan period for local plans from 15 years to ten years while extending the expected timescales for spatial development strategies from 20 to 25 years. In a related change, the government has dropped proposals that would have required local plans to mandate a minimum level of social rent housing and to set expectations for a mix of tenures in schemes of 150 homes or more, according to Planning Resource.
BUILD COSTS & CONSTRUCTION
Office construction output falls 20% in 2025
The Construction Index, citing Barbour ABI data, reports UK office construction output fell by 20% in 2025. The article states output is expected to tighten further in 2026. The report links the reduction in office work to pressure on vacancies and commercial rents, as set out in the Construction Index summary.
Federation of Piling Specialists sets foundation carbon baseline
The Construction Index reports the Federation of Piling Specialists has completed a review of foundation carbon emissions and established a baseline based on 63 projects. The baseline is presented as a reference point for measuring progress on foundation decarbonisation, according to the Construction Index summary.
SevenCapital takes construction control at 100 Kensington after Ardmore administration
Construction Enquirer reports developer SevenCapital has stepped in to restart work at the £500m 100 Kensington residential scheme after Ardmore went into administration. SevenCapital (Woodrow) Ltd is now acting as main contractor, the developer says, and the project is more than 30% complete. Existing funding from Maslow Capital remains in place, and the developer expects a number of workers to return to site ahead of an October top out for the Oria tower.
DEVELOPMENT FINANCE & MARKET CONDITIONS
Selected development and refinance transactions
Property Reporter documents several recent finance deals. Glenhawk completed a £5.3m refinance for a 12-month HMO portfolio loan in Coventry, with the loan priced at 0.88% per month. MERA completed a £1,627,500 development exit facility to support refinancing of a new-build three-bedroom house in Dalston, East London. These individual transactions are reported as case studies of completed facilities in the Property Reporter summaries.
Until next week.
Property Developer Buying Club