The National Federation of Builders has delivered its first political and market insight session of many on devolution across the UK, helping senior industry leaders better understand how the changing governance landscape is reshaping the construction and housing sectors.
Led by NFB’s Sean Houlston, Rico Wojtulewicz and former Housing Minister Eddie Hughes, the session brought together expertise from across policy, politics and industry to provide a clear and practical overview of how devolved decision-making is influencing where, how and why construction activity takes place.
The session was delivered to a group of senior leaders from RE:GEN Group, NFB member and a major construction and regeneration business. As businesses expand across regions and navigate increasingly complex funding and delivery models, understanding devolution is essential.
Devolution has fundamentally shifted the balance of power within the UK. Decisions on housing investment, regeneration, infrastructure and skills are increasingly being taken at a regional level by Combined Authorities, metro mayors and local political leaders, rather than solely by central government. This means that businesses must now understand not only national policy, but also the priorities, structures and political dynamics within each region they operate.
During the session, the NFB set out how the devolution landscape has evolved, including the rise of Combined Authorities, incoming Strategic Authorities and the growing role of directly elected mayors. It also explored how recent and emerging legislation is strengthening regional powers across planning, housing, transport and economic development, further embedding devolution into the way the sector operates.
A central theme was the need to understand where decisions are made and who influences them. The NFB team highlighted that devolution is not a single, uniform model with different regions operating at different levels of maturity, with varying governance structures, funding arrangements and political priorities.
The session also examined the impact of local government reorganisation, which is changing how councils are structured and how decisions are taken. While this can create short-term disruption, it also opens up opportunities for engagement as new structures and priorities are established.
Alongside governance, the NFB explored the political drivers shaping regional decision-making. The role of mayors, council leaders and MPs was discussed in detail, alongside how political leadership can influence housing strategies, procurement approaches, social value requirements and long-term investment priorities.
Funding was another key focus, with the session outlining how national programmes are increasingly delivered through devolved systems. This has significant implications for how businesses access opportunities, with regional authorities playing a growing role in directing investment and setting delivery expectations. In particular, the importance of aligning with skills, employment and social impact priorities was highlighted, as these are now central to many funding programmes.
As devolution continues to evolve, the NFB is expanding its support for members in this area, offering insight that helps businesses navigate regional structures, engage with decision-makers and position themselves for future growth.
For more information contact NFB Membership Services at AskNFB@builders.org.uk or 03450 578 160.
