UK government procurement guidance now designates steel, shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure as “national security critical” sectors, allowing contracting authorities to prioritise UK-based suppliers in tenders. The rules, issued under the Procurement Act 2023, also encourage in-house public-sector delivery and require buyers to factor local economic, skills and supply-chain benefits into award criteria. Civil and energy projects using large steel packages, grid assets or AI-based control systems should expect tighter origin scrutiny and potentially revised prequalification and value-for-money assessments.

Emergency planning measures from housing secretary Steve Reed and the mayor of London will introduce a fast-track route for schemes with at least 20% affordable housing and temporary CIL relief, aiming to restart dozens of stalled sites after social and affordable housing starts collapsed from 26,386 in 2022/23 to 4,522 in 2024/25. The package includes extra CIL relief for projects exceeding affordable targets and extended timeframes to keep schemes viable. The British Property Federation warns the support remains too limited to restore investor confidence or secure large-scale delivery without deeper, permanent flexibility in the London Plan.

Government has opened a 12‑week public consultation, running until 17 June 2026, on proposed updates to Approved Document B, covering fire safety guidance for buildings in England. Key proposals include mandatory evacuation lift guidance for residential buildings over 18 m, revised provisions for specialised housing (alarm coverage and sprinklers), new rules on fire spread across external walls, balconies, roofs and roof‑mounted PV panels, and updated fire resistance guidance for car parks. The review also considers implementing Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations via BS 9414 for assessing external cladding systems, with any changes expected to take effect from September 2029.