Research issued by SCAPE on 2 March 2026 examined the pressures affecting councils’ construction and infrastructure plans in England. Produced with the Local Government Information Unit, Delivering Through Change drew on responses from 70 senior officers across 63 councils.
The sample is important context for the findings. It represents the experiences reported by participating directors and heads of service, rather than a count of every English council or every construction project.
SCAPE identified regeneration, housing and transport as areas particularly exposed to disruption. Its account highlighted difficulties before construction begins, including business cases, scoping, planning and procurement. Shortages of commercial expertise and recruitment pressures were also identified as constraints on delivery.
An LGIU article published on 6 March, subsequently checked for this archive review, reported that 79 per cent of officers described rising costs or budget overruns, while 64 per cent reported delays. It also said 94 per cent wanted greater certainty about funding or longer multi-year settlements.
Those percentages measure respondents’ reported experiences and preferences. They do not mean that 64 per cent of all council building schemes were late, or that a particular proportion of planned homes would remain unbuilt. The survey and a project-by-project delivery audit answer different questions.
The research also considered uncertainty around policy and local-government reorganisation. SCAPE’s central argument was that predictable funding, early expertise and sufficient capacity could help authorities sustain their development programmes.
For residents following a local scheme, the distinction between preparation and physical building is useful. A project can encounter difficulties while its business case or procurement arrangements are being developed, before a contractor starts work on site. A national survey cannot establish which stage explains a specific local delay.
This archive account reflects the March 2026 research and its stated sample. It should not be read as a current assessment of any individual authority’s finances, construction programme or ability to deliver a particular development.