The past year has tested the construction and property industry like few others in recent memory. Rising costs, political uncertainty, cautious investment and sweeping regulatory change have all combined to create one of the most challenging operating environments in decades.

We sit down with James Watts and Alison Kilby of Arup to take an honest look at what 2025 and the past 12 months really felt like on the ground. Drawing on their experience advising major developers, public sector bodies and infrastructure clients, they share insight into how global economic pressures are shaping local decision-making.

We explore the growing tension between ambitious sustainability targets and project viability, and discuss how developers and local authorities are trying to balance long-term goals with short-term financial realities. We explore into the practical impact of the Building Safety Act – where it has driven genuine improvements, and where it has added complexity and delay.

With institutional funding becoming more risk-averse, James and Alison reflect on how this shift is affecting major regeneration schemes and masterplans, and whether some projects are still being under-costed or over-promised. They explain what “proper costing” really means today in an era of inflation, regulation and programme risk.

Today’s episode was kindly hosted by Northspring at the podcast studio in Birmingham. A big thank you to our Building Brum podcast is sponsors reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, EH Smith Architectural Solutions - Brick and Fascade specialsts and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

We are joined by Nick Gibb Joint Managing Director of BSN Group. Nick took on this new role after spending 30 years at Willmott Dixon, where Nick helped to build one of the region’s most successful Tier One contractors. Nick's now stepped into an owner-led, entrepreneurial role, leading BSN Group's ambitious growth strategy.

In this episode, we’ll be talking about what that transition has been like, how BSN operates in a market where project viability is increasingly challenging, and why the business continues to grow across sectors like healthcare, residential and commercial.

We’ll also explore procurement, from frameworks and direct awards to single and two stage tenders, how BSN decides which opportunities to pursue, and how the business is maintaining its agile and entrepreneurial culture as it scales.

The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, EH Smith Architectural Solutions Brick and Fascade specialsts and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

Today on the Building Brum Podcast, we’re exploring development more regionally: how the public and private sectors can work together to deliver places, unlock land, and drive long-term economic value. At the centre of this conversation is the Warwickshire Property & Development Group — a unique local-authority-owned company operating commercially to generate income that supports frontline services, while also shaping the future of the county’s built environment. It’s a delicate balance between accountability and entrepreneurialism, public purpose and commercial reality.

We’re joined by Stuart Buckley, Managing Director of Warwickshire Property & Development Group, to dive into how this model actually works on the ground. From joint ventures that bring complex sites forward, to innovative approaches that support SMEs, Stuart shares how partnering with the private sector is helping Warwickshire unlock opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Whether you’re a developer, a planner, or simply curious about how local authorities are rethinking growth, this episode offers a look behind-the-scenes look at a public–private approach that’s shaping Warwickshire.

A big thank you to our Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, EH Smith Architectural Solutions Brick and Fascade specialsts and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.