Industry leaders predicted a transformational period for UK house building as NHBC unveiled the speaker line-up for its flagship BEYOND ’26 LIVE event.
The UK’s house building sector faces significant change. With ambitious national targets and shifting market conditions, developers, policymakers and industry professionals are preparing for a transformational period for residential construction.
BEYOND ’26 LIVE took place on 25 February 2026 at the CBS Arena in Coventry. Hosted by the National House Building Council (NHBC) and chaired by broadcaster Louise Minchin, the event’s announced programme anticipated more than 1,200 delegates and over 40 speakers from across construction, finance and policy.
The programme covered the industry’s evolving landscape, from sustainability and regulatory reform to innovation and workforce development.
A Defining Moment for UK Housing
The government’s commitment to 1.5 million new homes during the current Parliament has set an ambitious pace for the industry. Achieving this target will depend on innovation, collaboration and a continued focus on quality and safety.
Ahead of the event, Cassandra Codling, Senior Regional Director at NHBC, described the coming years as transformational for UK house building. She highlighted planning delays, skills shortages, rising costs and fragile consumer confidence as challenges requiring resilience and cooperation.
She also emphasised the conference’s role in connecting industry professionals with the insight, tools and relationships needed to support housing delivery.
For related industry coverage, explore PAD Magazine’s property development news.
The Future of the New Homes Market
One of the programme’s headline sessions, “The Future of the New Homes Market: Perspectives on Delivering Growth,” featured an announced panel including Jennie Daly, CEO of Taylor Wimpey; Mark Farmer, Founder and Board Executive of Cast Consultancy; and Ian Workman, Chief Customer Officer at Homes England.
The session was designed to explore how the sector could maintain delivery momentum while adapting to regulatory changes, shifting market conditions and growing sustainability demands.
In comments released before the conference, Workman highlighted the importance of addressing barriers around land supply, planning and skills while embracing new approaches to design and sustainability.
Farmer emphasised that housing growth must be supported by better productivity, innovation and skills reform, alongside smarter delivery models and modern construction techniques.
Building the Workforce of the Future
Workforce strategy was another priority in the published programme. NHBC’s pre-event announcement cited a need for more than 250,000 additional construction workers by 2028 to meet existing demand.
Andy George, Director of Industry Attraction and Skills at the Home Builders Federation (HBF), was announced to lead a session on the Home Building Sector Skills Plan.
The plan focuses on attracting, developing and retaining the workforce needed to support future housing delivery. George highlighted training, partnerships with colleges and new routes into the industry as foundations for increasing the talent pipeline.
Innovation, Regulation and Quality: The Key Themes
The BEYOND ’26 LIVE programme covered the sector’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including:
- Delivering 1.5 million homes while maintaining quality, safety and environmental standards
- The Future Homes Standard and designing for climate resilience
- Closing the skills gap through training and workforce development
- Insights from NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards on leadership and site excellence
- Advances in timber-frame construction, modern methods of construction, roofing quality and water efficiency
- Regulatory updates, including the Building Safety Levy and NHBC Standards 2026
The announced programme also included panel debates, practical workshops, live demonstrations, Continuing Professional Development opportunities and networking with industry peers and suppliers.
Further Information About NHBC BEYOND LIVE
BEYOND ’26 LIVE has now concluded. For information about future events, programmes and attendance, visit the official NHBC BEYOND website.
