• The Importance of Apprenticeship
• Taking the Next Step on Our Sustainability Journey
• BCO Annual Conference: Exploring the Future of the Workplace
• Project Case Study: Park Street
• Tender Price Index Update
• The Housing Community Summit 2026
• Project Case Study: Torridon House
• Spend a Day with Golding Homes
• Hurstmere School Career Fair
  

The importance of Apprenticeship – The Backbone of Construction’s Future Workforce

The skills shortage in our industry is well known and well covered. This demand is demonstrated in the latest Construction Workforce Outlook from the Construction Industry Training Board for 2026 to 2030 which predicts that an average of 41,200 extra workers will be needed each year between 2026 and 2030.

At Martin Arnold, we have always and continue to believe that the best way to meet this demand is by encouraging young people into our sector and training them to have the skills and knowledge they need to be a success.

Our apprenticeship programme provides a strong pathway for individuals looking to build rewarding careers within the construction and property industry. By combining formal learning with real-world experience, apprentices can apply their studies directly to their day-to-day work, contributing meaningfully to the business while developing the expertise needed for long-term success.

We are proud to currently have 18 apprentices progressing through various stages of their Architecture, Building Surveying and Quantity Surveying apprenticeship programmes, two of whom we welcomed to the practice earlier this month.

In addition, this year has already brought significant achievements as we celebrate two apprentices successfully graduating – an important milestone in their professional journeys.

Apprenticeships offer benefits that extend beyond individual career development. They help us to build a skilled workforce, bring fresh perspectives into the business, and strengthen our ability to meet the evolving needs of our clients and projects. The success of our current and former apprentices demonstrates the value of creating opportunities for people to learn, grow, and thrive within our organisation.

If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeship opportunities and our commitment to training and skills, please check out our website here, where you can get in touch with a member of our team and download our training brochure.

Taking the Next Step on Our Sustainability Journey

We are delighted to report that we recently completed our first carbon footprint assessment. This is an important milestone for Martin Arnold, giving us a clearer understanding of our carbon footprint and a baseline from which we can manage, measure and introduce changes, helping us to reduce our environmental impact.

As highlighted during Net Zero Week, climate change remains one of the biggest challenges facing our industry and society. We recognise that meaningful progress can only be achieved through collective action, and we want to play our part in supporting both the UK’s net zero 2050 ambition and wider global efforts to limit the rise in the global temperature.

As Chris Los, Associate and Sustainability Lead at Martin Arnold, explains: “Every journey starts somewhere. Our conscious journey to tackle climate change starts here.”

The assessment is part of our wider ESG objectives and supports the work of our Sustainability Taskforce, who are at the forefront of our journey to net zero. It has helped us identify where our biggest carbon emissions come from and where we can make the greatest improvements. It also supports the aims of our Sustainability Policy and will help to promote a more environmentally conscious approach across staff, clients and the wider stakeholders we work with.

The assessment includes strategic recommendations to help us develop a practical action plan and make positive changes across the business. Rather than simply measuring our emissions, it gives us the information we need to make more informed decisions on where to focus our efforts.

This gives us a starting point for measuring and reducing our carbon emissions as we work towards net zero. Although we have not yet set a formal net zero target, we will continue to monitor our carbon footprint through annual assessments and use the findings to make practical improvements across the business and reduce our environmental impact. Our route towards achieving the UK’s 2050 net zero target will be formulated soon.

Alongside completing our carbon footprint assessment, we’re also proud to be holders of certifications across four ISO management standards, including ISO 14001, which is the international standard for Environmental Management Systems. This further supports our commitment to quality, continual improvement and responsible business practices.

ISO 14001 is an important part of our sustainability journey. It helps us to manage our environmental responsibilities, identify areas for improvement, monitor our progress and strengthen our approach to environmental compliance and risk management. Together, our carbon footprint assessment and ISO 14001 certification provide a strong foundation for the next stage of our work.

Martin Lock, Director at Martin Arnold, said: “Undertaking our first carbon footprint assessment represents an important milestone in understanding and managing our environmental impact. Establishing a robust baseline will enable us to make informed decisions, set meaningful reduction targets, and support our clients in delivering more sustainable outcomes across the built environment.”

This is just the beginning of our sustainability journey, and we’re looking forward to seeing where it takes us.

Our First BCO Annual Conference: Exploring the Future of the Workplace

We recently became members of the British Council for Offices (BCO) and attended the BCO Annual Conference for the first time, marking an exciting step in Martin Arnold’s continued growth and increasing presence within the commercial sector.

Our team travelled to Edinburgh to attend the highly anticipated conference, joining leading professionals from across the commercial property and office sector.

As one of the key events in the commercial property calendar, the conference provided a valuable opportunity to connect with leading industry professionals, developers, occupiers, designers and consultants, while gaining a deeper understanding of the trends shaping the future of the workplace.

Through a range of workshops, panel discussions, and sector-led discussions, the conference explored how the commercial workplace is evolving in response to changing occupier expectations, increased sustainability requirements, advances in technology and the growing importance of high-quality, purpose-led design.

A key theme throughout the conference was the new era the office sector is entering. Successful commercial spaces are increasingly being shaped by intentional design, adaptability, user experience, energy resilience and measurable building performance. As technology continues to evolve and net zero commitments drive greater accountability across the built environment, the sector is moving beyond traditional office provision towards smarter, more sustainable and more responsive workplaces.

For Martin Arnold, the conference reinforced the importance of providing informed, commercially focused advice that supports clients in navigating this changing landscape. Becoming a member of the BCO gives us the opportunity to continue building our knowledge, engaging with the wider commercial property sector and contributing to the conversations around the future of the workplace.

Find out more about our commercial property expertise through our Commercial Property Capability Statement which provides an overview of our experience and the value we deliver for clients across the sector.

Download our Commercial Property Capability Statement

If you’d like to find out more about how Martin Arnold can support your commercial property needs, please get in touch with our commercial team here.

Project Case Study: Park Street

Martin Arnold was appointed to support cladding remediation works at 28-30 Park Street, a mixed commercial and residential development behind Borough Market in LB Southwark.

We provided Contract Administration, Architecture, Clerk of Works, Cost Consultancy, funding advice and Principal Designer services. Following changes to fire safety guidance and the introduction of PAS 9980, the project moved to a risk-based approach, with the works focusing on the ACM cladding and cladding to the residential areas.

The project involved removing and replacing ACM and timber cladding, as well as timber decking to the residential terraces. The team also had to manage several challenges during the works, including previously unidentified combustible insulation and complex waterproofing and decking requirements.

Read the full case study to find out more about the project and how Martin Arnold helped deliver the remediation works: https://www.martinarnold.co.uk/project/28-30-park-street/

Tender Price Index Update

The current market outlook is cautious optimism amid continuing challenges. 2Q2026 has been characterised by increasing costs and renewed inflationary pressures through geopolitical tensions and disrupted energy markets. All imported commodities (copper and aluminium) and energy-intensive materials (glass, steel, etc.) continue to be affected by the increasing oil prices.
However, weak demand continues to counteract the upward trend and limits its transfer onto tender prices.

The UK construction sector continues to face a complex mix of headwinds and opportunities. While Government policy is increasingly focused on unlocking housing delivery and local growth, market fundamentals remain challenging. Elevated construction costs, planning reform, funding changes and geopolitical pressures continue to influence project viability and investment decisions.

Construction activity continues to contract. BCIS reports total new work output is expected to contract by 2.7% this year, with a modest growth anticipated in 2027. All construction activity, new orders and employment continue to decline, with brick production down by 17.6% in the year to 1Q2026, while concrete deliveries continue to fall by 2.1% over the same period, with the lowest figures recorded since 2013.

The latest S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) highlights that sector activity has now declined for 20 consecutive months. Residential construction remains the weakest-performing market segment. Commercial activity remained the most resilient sector and infrastructure activity showed modest improvement but remains below expected levels.

BCIS notes that weak demand continues to suppress tender price inflation, despite rising material and energy costs. This creates an increasingly competitive environment for contractors while maintaining pressure on margins.

According to BCIS briefing note, tender prices are expected to increase by 15.5% over the five years to 2031, labour costs are forecast to rise 15.2% over the forecast period and materials costs are expected to increase 11.6%, while plant costs are projected to rise 7.2%.

Government confirmation of nearly £10 billion of funding under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) will support the delivery of more than 70,000 social and affordable homes across England over the next decade.

The funding provides valuable certainty for local authorities and housing associations; however, BCIS warns that funding alone will not overcome wider market obstacles, including rising material prices, labour shortages, supply chain risks and ongoing affordability challenges. Approximately 60% of the new homes funded will be delivered as Social Rent housing.

The latest RICS report from July 2026, ‘Global Housing Delivery: Addressing the Challenges’, reviews international strategies for increasing housing supply with its key recommendations including streamlining planning approvals, supporting higher-density development, encouraging office-to-residential conversions, promoting modern methods of construction (MMC), tackling housing under-utilisation and expanding digital planning and approval systems.

However helpful, the planning reform is not considered a silver bullet. While the Government’s planning reform programme is receiving broad industry support and new mayoral powers may accelerate decision-making on strategically significant developments and increase local influence over housing delivery, concerns remain around the proposed expansion of the Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy (MCIL), which could add further cost burdens to already marginal development schemes.

Industry concerns include Building Safety Levy implementation from October 2026, Community Infrastructure Levy obligations, additional planning-related charges and continued viability pressures.

BCIS warns that planning permission alone does not guarantee construction activity if projects remain financially unviable.

RICS has submitted its response to the Government’s review of construction and built environment professions in their note ‘Call for Evidence Future of Professions RICS Response’, which outlines several priority areas such as:

• Addressing skills shortages through improved education and apprenticeships
• Supporting responsible adoption of AI while preserving professional judgement
• Introducing proportionate, risk-based regulation
• Improving data sharing and traceability throughout the construction lifecycle
• Strengthening accountability across contractors, subcontractors and maintenance providers
• Enhancing consumer protection and dispute resolution mechanisms.

RICS emphasises that future regulation should focus on outcomes, collaboration and public safety rather than compliance alone.

For commercial and cost management professionals, several themes stand out:

• Cost certainty remains a critical challenge
• Material volatility must continue to be reflected in risk allowances
• Viability assessments are becoming increasingly important
• Early-stage cost planning is essential for affordable housing schemes
• Digital information management and data literacy are growing professional requirements
• Greater scrutiny on competence, regulation and accountability is likely across the entire project lifecycle

The industry is entering a period where planning reform, housing investment and regulatory change are creating opportunities, but delivery remains constrained by viability concerns, cost inflation and global uncertainty. Organisations that focus on robust cost planning, risk management and digital competence will be best placed to navigate the next phase of the market.

Project Case Study: Torridon House

Martin Arnold provided Employer’s Agent and Cost Consultancy services for Torridon House, a development delivering 21 homes for Westminster City Council in North Maida Vale.

Our team supported the project from inception through completion, providing pre-contract project management, contract administration, cost consultancy and quality assurance. Following the insolvency of the original main contractor during construction, Martin Arnold managed the procurement of a replacement contractor and helped get the project back on track, while managing risks and minimising programme delay.

Read the full case study to find out how our team successfully navigated this complex project: https://www.martinarnold.co.uk/project/torridon-house/

The Housing Community Summit 2026

Martin Arnold sent a delegation to the Housing Community Summit in Liverpool again this year; we believe it is the bona fide conference for housing professionals across the housing sector.

Chaired expertly by Radio 4’s Kirsty Wark, we attended some thought-provoking sessions including those from Reform’s Richard Tice MP, Lord Michael Gove, Jonathan Walters CEO of the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook MP.

Our key takeaways were that investment in affordable housing should focus on quality and be resident focused. Additionally, housing investment must not be seen as a zero-sum game, success lies in collaboration with one another.

In the housing context, the game theory that one person’s gain is exactly equal to another person’s loss, is one that is all too real in a challenging economic environment where there are many different people and departments competing for a limited amount of financial and human resources, often in time sensitive situations.

Matthew Pennycook, the Housing Minister said: “As councils and housing associations seek to take forward ambitious development programmes, they are having to cope not only with challenges in relation to site viability, but also those arising from the pressing need to improve the safety and quality of the homes they already manage.

The Government is asking a lot from the sector, and we appreciate fully the difficult balancing act involved in seeking to build new social and affordable housing at scale while also improving the decency of existing stock.”

The zero-sum game currently playing out between asset management and building new homes was not the only potential conflict raised by the Minister. The new Prime Minister’s plans to deliver the biggest council housebuilding programme since the 1980s may have been seen as a threat to housing associations and registered providers who have been competing for their share of the £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The Housing Minister provided optimism here too and went on to say: “For any housing association or other provider that is concerned about their future in a world in which councils are once again building at scale, let me state plainly that the revival of council housebuilding that this Government is working to deliver should complement, not threaten the contribution you make.

Indeed, we want to encourage greater partnership working between councils and housing associations whether that be through forming joint ventures, aligning development plans, delivering new council homes through partnership models, or working more closely on allocations.”

Martin Arnold believes this message of collaboration can bring together housing associations, local authorities, suppliers, residents and policymakers to tackle sector-wide challenges around affordability, housing quality, repairs and community investment. Only together in partnership, rather than competing against one another, can the sector successfully achieve its goals.

If you are interested in collaborating at one of our roundtable events focusing on innovation in asset management, or if you want to know more about our successful joint venture partnerships, please get in touch here.

Spend a Day with Golding Homes

In July, members of the Martin Arnold team had the chance to take part in the ‘Spend a Day with Golding Homes’ initiative, giving us a better understanding of what happens client side and the different teams involved in delivering homes and supporting residents.

Although we work closely with Golding Homes across several projects, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes that we don’t always get to see. The day gave us a closer look at how the organisation works and how different teams contribute to delivering new homes and supporting residents.

Throughout the day, our team met colleagues from New Business, Procurement, Finance and Development, who talked us through their roles and how they work together. We also had the chance to learn more about the Cambridge Crescent Regeneration project, including the different teams involved and some of the decisions that goes into delivering a successful project. We are currently providing Employer’s Agent and Clerk of Works services on the project which, once complete, will deliver 240 new homes.

The sessions around finance and procurement were especially useful, as they gave us a better understanding of the processes behind some of the work we deal with on a day-to-day basis. We also enjoyed learning more about the support Golding Homes provides to its residents and the community.

A big thank you to Senior Development Manager Jon Baldwin and the Regeneration Advisor Lucy Older for leading the day and making everyone feel so welcomed, as well as the wider Golding Homes team for sharing their time and experiences with us.

The initiative gave us a valuable experience and plenty to take away. Understanding more about how our clients work and the challenges they face can help us to build stronger working relationships.

We’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with Golding Homes and hopefully returning the favour in the future with our own ‘Spend a Day with Martin Arnold’.

Hurstmere School Careers Fair

Martin Arnold recently returned to Hurstmere School for another of its annual careers fairs, where Senior Associate Joe Evans, Building Surveyor and former Hurstmere student Kieran Lowe, and our Marketing Coordinator and ESG Lead Laetitia Kasongo spent the day speaking with students about careers in the construction industry.

For Kieran, the event was a great opportunity to return to his old school, reconnect with teachers and share his own career journey. He spoke with students about the different routes into the industry, including apprenticeships and graduate opportunities, and his own experience of getting started in construction.

We always enjoy taking part in events like this. They’re a great way to inspire the next generation, share our experiences and help young people explore the many career opportunities available at Martin Arnold and across the wider construction industry.

If you know someone considering an apprenticeship or who wants to learn more about starting a career in construction, please visit the Training section of our website.