Expansion of the UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme now offers a £2,500 grant for air-to-air heat pumps alongside the existing £7,500 support for air-source and ground-source units, making domestic air-conditioning eligible for government funding for the first time. Carrier Solutions UK, distributor of Toshiba systems, expects this to catalyse a residential air-conditioning market, particularly in flats and apartments currently using direct-electric or storage heating. Multi-split air-to-air systems, with one outdoor unit serving several rooms, are positioned as a practical retrofit route where conventional air-to-water heat pumps are hard to install.

Former Association of Mining and Exploration Companies South Australian director and 20‑year resources veteran has been appointed to the state’s new Coexistence board, set up to manage land access tensions between miners, farmers and other land users. The board is expected to advise on approvals and conditions for exploration and mining leases, with a focus on coexistence on freehold and pastoral land. For project teams, this signals closer scrutiny of stakeholder engagement, surface access agreements and disturbance footprints in South Australia.

The UK government plans to meet 30% of domestic demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements from UK sources by 2035 under a new 10‑year strategy. The plan mirrors US, Canadian and EU policies aimed at reducing reliance on China‑dominated supply chains for battery, wind turbine and electronics materials. For miners and processors, it signals stronger backing for domestic exploration, recycling capacity and mid‑stream refining projects, with permitting, ESG compliance and grid access likely to be key constraints.