Constructing Excellence North conference brings regional sector together

By Danny BallPublished On: October 2nd, 2026Categories: News, Top Stories

The inaugural Constructing Excellence North Conference has brought together construction and built environment professionals from across Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and North East to discuss project delivery, retrofit, procurement and workforce issues.

Held at Aspire in Leeds under the theme “The North’s Blueprint: Delivering Action Together”, the conference brought together representatives from across the construction supply chain, with sessions covering the current industry outlook, major regeneration schemes, energy efficiency, procurement law and mental health.

The event opened with Alison Nicholl, head of Constructing Excellence, followed by a keynote from Lucy Howard, co-chair of Constructing Excellence and UK Major Bids lead at Turner & Townsend, who discussed the current state and outlook for the construction industry.

York Central regeneration project highlighted

Rob Auld, construction director at McLaren Property, presented on York Central, one of the major city centre regeneration schemes in the UK.

The conference also examined the challenge of retrofitting the existing building stock and improving energy efficiency.

A panel chaired by Mike Raven, client engagement lead at YORhub and co-chair of the Constructing Excellence Yorkshire and Humber Club, considered the practical challenges involved in upgrading existing buildings.

Value and project decision-making were also explored through a workshop led by Kathryn Gardner, director at Avison Young and chair of the Constructing Excellence North East Value Group.

The session used LEGO to demonstrate how different priorities can affect project outcomes and the importance of establishing a shared understanding of value and objectives at an early stage.

The workshop also introduced the Value Toolkit, which is designed to help project teams align decision-making around agreed objectives.

Procurement law and supply chain engagement discussed

Procurement was another key theme, with Kieran McGaughey, consultant solicitor and procurement law trainer, providing an update on procurement law.

He then chaired a panel featuring Jane Turner, construction lead at NEPO, Ross Markwell, national chair of CECA and director at Esh Construction, and Andrea Leigh, senior associate at Trowers & Hamlin.

The discussion examined the impact of the Procurement Act, including its implications for SMEs and opportunities to improve engagement across the construction supply chain.

The afternoon programme focused on major projects across the North, with presentations on the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds, Pilgrim’s Quarter in Newcastle and Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.

The projects covered different approaches to regeneration, sustainability, innovation and construction delivery across the region.

Construction workforce and mental health also addressed

The conference also focused on the people working across the construction sector, with Liam Colebrook of Cover3 delivering a presentation titled The Human Blueprint – Breaking the Silence on Mental Health.

A panel discussion followed featuring Colebrook alongside Stuart Young, head of Stakeholder Management at the Department for Business and Trade, Henrietta Frater, head of HSE & Wellbeing at The Crown Estate and Board trustee of Mates in Mind, and Johnny Lawless, mental fitness consultant at Minds Matter UK.

The session examined mental health in construction and the role of employers and the wider industry in creating healthier working environments.

Caroline Key, co-chair of the Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Club, said: “Bringing the three Constructing Excellence networks together has shown the strength of the expertise we have across the North.

This inaugural conference has been a really positive starting point and, importantly, it is the first of many. We now have an opportunity to build on that momentum, keep the conversations going and turn the ideas shared into action.

“What was particularly encouraging was the energy in the room throughout the day and the willingness of delegates to share their experience, challenge some of the ways we currently work and think about what we can do differently.”