Construction Disrupted Episode 87 - Make Do and Mend (15.10.25)

Administrations hit ‘worrying milestone’ as year-to-date total passes 200

Financial instability in the construction sector.

• Over 200 business administrations in 2025, with September equaling February’s peak of 32.
• A third more failures in September compared to August, signalling economic pressures.
• Rising costs, supply chain issues, and economic uncertainty contribute to industry vulnerability.
• Businesses need to adapt and strengthen financial strategies to survive.

Now is not the time to panic about low planning approvals

The government’s ambitious housing target and challenges in planning approvals.

• Secretary of State Steve Reed reaffirmed the goal to build 1.5 million homes this parliamentary term.
• The slogan “Build, Baby, Build” reflects growing political consensus on housing needs.
• Low planning approval rates pose a significant challenge to achieving the target.
• Policymakers are urged to maintain confidence and stick to long-term plans despite discouraging statistics.

Designing for circularity: championing materials re-use at 30 Duke Street St James’s

The building exemplifies sustainable design and circular economy principles.

• Over 78% of the structural steel frame is reclaimed, saving 744 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
• Reclaimed materials like Portland stone, granite panels, and marble interiors were creatively reused, adding historical and aesthetic value.
• Innovative reuse projects include artworks by Studio Tip and Matthew Small.
• The building targets top sustainability certifications: BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, WELL Platinum, and NABERS UK 5-Star.
• Future-proof design with bolted connections allows for easy disassembly and reuse of materials.
• Flexible office spaces with column-free floorplates offer unobstructed views of London landmarks.

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.