Skills and private sector investment hold the key to construction success

Closing the skills gap and the need to unlock private sector investment will be among the biggest challenges facing construction in 2026.

David Robinson, managing director of leading Lancashire headquartered architecture design and masterplanning practice FWP, says having the skillsets needed to deliver projects will be vital if government targets around housing and infrastructure are to be met.

He also believes unlocking private sector investment is massively important to moving stalled developments off the drawing board.

Looking at the next 12 months in the industry, David says: “Falls in interest rates would be really helpful in getting developments moving and fuelling people’s instincts to invest. It’s good that we have seen some movement in the right direction at the end of 2025.

“Overall, the economy should stabilise in the year ahead, compared to what we have seen in recent times, which will also help persuade developers to push ahead with projects.

“Although there are still external pressures such as the situation in Ukraine and the continued issues of Trump’s tariffs things look to be improving.

“The issue of skills shortages remains a widespread challenge across the industry. There is danger that the large commitment towards housebuilding that the government is pushing will draw on what resources we have available, to the detriment of other sectors.”

David is also looking for positive moves in the planning process to get more projects up and running. He says: “I’m hoping that more inroads will be made into cutting the bureaucracy around developments and in making the process easier to navigate through a more common-sense approach.”

FWP is looking to 2026 with optimism, with its speciality in designing and delivering sports stadiums seeing a health pipeline of projects over the next 12 months and beyond.

The practice has a strong track record of delivery delivering successful ground developments for clubs at all levels of the football pyramid, including Preston North End, Fleetwood Town, and Peterborough United  in the EFL.

The practice, with headquarters in Preston and offices in Manchester and London, has built a national reputation for its sports work, through its design expertise and an approach that looks to create sustainable community stadiums.

David says: “We see great opportunity in this sector, with a lot of major developments in the offing, it is a strong growth area for us.”

FWP also has a long and successful record of delivering NHS projects in the North West, including the Life and Urgent Care centres at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital and The Minerva Centre in Preston North End’s Deepdale ground.

David believes that the health sector will be another growth area for FWP in 2026 as investment in improving the NHS’s estate continues.

FWP celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2025, the award-winning firm’s work today covers all aspects of construction, from cost management to architecture and masterplanning services.

For more details of FWP its services and its projects, please visit www.fwpgroup.co.uk