Construction Disrupted Episode 85 - Build, Baby, Build (01.10.25)

Announcement Details:

• The UK government has pledged to initiate three new town schemes during the current parliamentary term.
• Locations include Bedfordshire, North London, and Leeds, with a taskforce identifying 12 potential sites for development.

Sector Reactions:

• Industry leaders have welcomed the announcement but raised concerns about the viability of the projects due to rising construction costs.
• Calls have been made for Homes England to step in and "de-risk" sites, particularly those with a 40% affordable housing requirement.

Challenges:

• Persistent construction cost hikes and infrastructure challenges are key obstacles.
• Ensuring affordability and sustainability in the new towns is a priority for stakeholders.

Project Delays:

• The Northern Powerhouse Rail project, connecting Liverpool and Manchester, faces fresh delays due to another review of its costs and value for money.
• The government has not provided updates in recent spending reviews or infrastructure pipelines.

Funding and Timeline:

• The Department for Transport proposed £1.5 billion in early funding to start work by 2030, but the Treasury is cautious due to concerns over cost overruns similar to HS2.

Political and Economic Implications:

• Northern mayors view the rail line as essential for economic growth and resolving transport constraints in the North West.
• The project is strongly supported by political figures like Andy Burnham and Lucy Powell, but criticised by Reform UK, which advocates scrapping the line.

Engineering Feat:

• At the Fifty Fenchurch Street development in London, a 700-year-old church tower (All Hallows Staining Church) has been preserved on 45-foot tall stilts.
• This innovative engineering solution allows the church to remain suspended above a 60,000 sq ft excavation site.

Construction Milestone:

• The ceremony marked the completion of excavation work, involving the removal of over 125,000 tonnes of earth.
• The site will host a 36-story flagship development blending modern workspace with historical features.

Collaborative Efforts:

• Key players include AXA IM Alts (developer), YardNine (delivery partner), Arup (engineering consultant), and Multiplex Construction Europe (main contractor).
• The project is celebrated for its unique integration of historical preservation and state-of-the-art construction

Additional Link:

Entire church begins two-day journey across Swedish city

Bios

Ryan Jones - SLG Agency

For almost 20 years, Ryan’s focus has been on helping brands in the construction and manufacturing sectors tell their story.

His career began in PR, working for global businesses across a variety of sectors, before opting to focus on construction and the built environment.

In his role as Managing Director, Ryan works to ensure that SLG Agency continues to be one of the construction industry's leading specialist strategic and creative agencies, having seen its work recognised by the likes of Campaign, Marketing Week and The Drum in recent years.

Ryan is regularly asked to speak at trade shows and events, and to contribute thought leadership pieces to trade media. He is also a member of several industry advisory boards, including Constructing Excellence and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

His passion for the construction sector has seen him work with clients on CSR campaigns that tackle the sector’s public perception, culminating in him recently launching a not-for-profit called Deconstruction.

Peter Sumpton - buildDifferent

Peter is a construction–marketing strategist and co-host of Construction Disrupted. With two decades’ experience spanning manufacturers, contractors and agencies, he helps organisations swap scattergun activity for clear strategy, joined-up planning and measurable outcomes.

His approach is practical and plain-spoken: cut the noise, focus on what moves the numbers, and build repeatable systems that teams can actually use.

Having seen first-hand how unfocused tactics waste time and budget, Peter works with leaders to align commercial goals, customer insight and content so marketing supports delivery rather than distracting from it.

Peter's passion lies in diagnosing organisations' marketing functions' capabilities and existing market, assembling what’s required to create a functional strategy, fit for purpose and scalable.

Marketing should create value, not just cost, and Peter’s work is about making that the norm.