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Construction Disrupted Episode 128 - Stop, Collaborate and Listen (12.08.26) in partnership with Adobe Acrobat Studio. Check them out and show them some love.
In this episode, we're discussing record housing starts, the urgent need for supply chain collaboration, and the visionary clients behind the UK’s most celebrated new buildings. Let's go.
Housing starts hit the highest level since 2023
The UK recorded 40,770 housing starts in the first quarter of 2026, the highest since the exceptional surge in Q2 2023. This marks a 14% increase over Q1 2025 and a 7.2% rise from the previous quarter, though starts remain below pre-pandemic levels. England led the way, accounting for 84.5% of all UK starts, with private enterprises responsible for most activity. Wales saw the strongest quarterly growth, while Scotland experienced a decline. Completions also rose slightly year-on-year, but remain subdued compared to historic highs. Industry experts highlight the resilience of private developers amid ongoing viability challenges and emphasise the need for balanced regulation and supportive government policy to sustain momentum in housing delivery.
Despite decades of effort, adversarial behaviours persist in construction supply chains, undermining project delivery. Only 58% of projects are delivered on time and within budget, with instability driven by poor estimating, uncontrolled scope changes, and late payments. Globally, 61% of professionals view supply chains as inherently adversarial, and UK architects report a high need for formal dispute resolution. However, 83% believe trust is critical, and 81% say collaboration resolves issues faster. Collaborative contracts offer clear benefits—improving delivery, reducing disputes, and boosting profitability—but adoption remains limited, especially in the UK. The report urges clients, particularly in the public sector, to lead the shift toward collaborative frameworks, as better relationships are essential for future project success.
Download the report here: https://www.neccontract.com/insights-supply-chain or analyse the report using this PDF Space: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/spaces/urn:aaid:sc:EU:c9dbb865-d6f8-43d0-b81a-edbb2c5d3b0d
The RIBA Client of the Year 2026 shortlist honours six clients for their transformative projects:
- York Minster – Two contemporary buildings forming a public engagement campus at the historic cathedral.
- British Land for Norton Folgate – Revitalisation of derelict sites into an office-led development in Spitalfields.
- Sadler's Wells & London Legacy Development Corporation – A new dance theatre and choreography school at Sadler’s Wells East.
- Redruth Revival CIC for The Buttermarket – Conversion of a historic market into a vibrant, accessible community hub in Cornwall.
- Brighton College – The Richard Cairns Building, a mixed-use performing arts and teaching facility.
- Natural History Museum, London – The Urban Nature Project, transforming the museum’s gardens into a living exhibition.
These clients exemplify ambition and vision, delivering architecture that benefits users, communities, and visitors. The winner will be announced at the Stirling Prize ceremony on 15 October 2026.
Bios
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.
