First Site by Construction News

About First Site by Construction News

Introducing First Site, the podcast by Construction News, in Partnership with Speedy Hire. Each month on First Site we’ll bring you in-depth discussions with industry experts on the hot topics in construction. Join editor of Construction News, Colin Marrs, and his editorial team as they explore the challenges, opportunities, and very best in case studies, standard setting, and innovation Subscribe now to have each episode delivered straight to your device every month. Find out more at constructionnews.co.uk/podcast.

Publisher

Construction News

Category

business · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Aug 2023

Latest episode

19 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

33 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Episode 32 : Inside the data centre challenge

   In this episode, we explore whether the construction industry can deliver enough data centres to satisfy the UK’s AI ambitions. What are the main challenges facing the construction sector when it comes to data centres?  What are the potential solutions? CN deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by David McDonnell, managing director of data centres at main contractor McLaren;  Sam Stacey, director of systems integration firm A7C; and Tim Collier, director and data centre lead at consultancy Turner & Townsend UK

2. 

   19 Jun 2026

   Episode 31: Brexit – 10 years after the vote with John Wilkinson, Kelly Boorman and Graham Robinson

   In this episode we look at the effects, both immediate and lingering, of Brexit on the construction industry. It’s now 10 years since the British electorate voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. Are the ramifications of that decision, which only passed by a narrow margin, still being felt in the UK’s construction sector today? What have been the long-term effects on the labour market and the prices of materials? How has it affected the pipeline of apprenticeships coming into the industry? CN’s features editor, Matt Davies, is joined by John Wilkinson, the chief operating officer at Bam UK & Ireland, Kelly Boorman, head of construction at the law firm, RSM and Graham Robinson, global infrastructure and construction lead at Oxford Economics and global business consultant at Pinsent Mason.

3. 

   4 May 2026

   Episode 30 - Retentions: Retain or remove? With Rob Driscoll, Melanie Leech and Chris Hallam

   In this episode we look at retentions. In late March, the government announced it was proposing to ban the use of retentions in construction contracts. The proposed ban is part of a wider package of measures aimed at tackling late payments across the UK economy as a whole, which the government says forces 38 small business to the wall every day. In construction, banning retentions might protect smaller firms from losing money when contractors further up the supply chain won’t pay or become insolvent. But for some, retentions are a vital tool that incentivise contractors to meet their obligations, especially when it comes to the quality of a build and correcting any defects. CN’s features editor, Matt Davies, is joined by Rob Driscoll, director of legal and business at the Electrical Contractors' Association, Melanie Leech, the chief executive at the British Property Federation and Chris Hallam, a partner at the law firm CMS.

Who has been a guest on First Site by Construction News

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Nick Abbey
• Lee Hutchinson
• Faye Allen

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

28

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

68

Contact First Site by Construction News

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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