The　British　National　Corpus　2014　is　a　major　project　led　by　Lancaster　University　to　create　a　100-million-word　corpus　of　present　day　British　English.　This　corpus　has　been　constructed　as　a　comparable　counterpart　of　the　original　British　National　Corpus　(referred　to　as　the　BNC1994　in　this　article),　which　was　compiled　in　the　early　1990s.　This　article　starts　with　the　justification　of　the　project　answering　the　question　of　＇Why　do　we　need　a　new　BNC?＇.　We　then　provide　a　general　overview　of　the　construction　of　the　Written　British　National　Corpus　2014　(Written　BNC2014);　we　also　briefly　discuss　some　issues　of　data　collection　before　looking　in　detail　at　the　design　of　the　corpus.　Compiling　a　large　general　corpus　such　as　the　Written　BNC2014　has　been　a　major　undertaking　involving　teamwork　and　collaboration.　It　also　required　generosity　on　the　part　of　the　many　individuals　and　organisations　who　contributed　to　the　data　collection.