Last week, members of the Capstone team headed to Leeds for UKREiiF 2026, joining thousands of professionals from across real estate, infrastructure, development and the wider built environment for a week of meetings, discussions and market insight.

While every major industry event naturally brings optimism and energy, one theme consistently surfaced across conversations throughout the week: the market is active, but cautious.

There was little sense of panic or negativity, but equally, very few people describing the market as truly thriving. Instead, the overwhelming sentiment was one of measured confidence. Deals are still progressing, projects are still moving and businesses remain ambitious, but political uncertainty, economic pressure and global instability are continuing to influence decision-making across almost every stakeholder group.

That said, certain sectors continue to demonstrate resilience. Residential markets, particularly Build-to-Rent (BTR), PBSA and social housing, were repeatedly highlighted as areas maintaining momentum, while conversations across the wider development and consultancy landscape suggested businesses are becoming increasingly focused on delivery certainty and long-term pipeline stability.

Interestingly, one of the clearest shifts discussed throughout the week was a move away from firms simply “needing more work” towards needing the capacity and capability to deliver existing workloads effectively.

Rather than urgent project chasing, many conversations centred around sustainable growth, strategic hiring and ensuring businesses have the right leadership and delivery teams in place to execute successfully over the next 12–24 months. For recruiters and talent partners operating within the sector, that nuance matters.

More Than an Expo

Alongside the commercial conversations, one of the strongest themes to emerge from UKREiiF was the sense of community that exists across the industry.

For Phoebe Chippindall, attending UKREiiF for the first time completely changed her perception of what the industry actually represents.

“You go in thinking it’s just an industry event, but you come away realising it’s so much more than that,” she reflected after the week. “It genuinely feels like a community of people who all care about making change happen, not just building projects and developments, but creating places, opportunities and stronger communities for the future.”

That sense of shared responsibility and collective ambition was visible throughout the week, particularly in conversations around the future of the industry, inclusion and the next generation entering the sector.

“What really stood out to me was the next generation coming through,” Phoebe explained. “There’s a real effort being made to bring younger people into the conversation and give them a voice, and you can genuinely feel that shift happening across the industry.”

Those themes extended well beyond formal panels. Across the week, the Capstone team attended approximately 20 scheduled meetings alongside countless additional networking conversations, introductions and informal catch-ups happening organically throughout Leeds.

For Director Rob Joslin, much of the value came from exactly those moments. The accessibility of UKREiiF remains one of its defining characteristics. Unlike some international real estate conferences where scale and exclusivity can create barriers, UKREiiF’s Leeds setting offers something noticeably more grounded, collaborative and approachable.

As Rob reflected: “What makes UKREiiF different is how accessible it feels. You can have meaningful discussions with senior leaders, developers, consultants and emerging talent all in the same day, and those conversations happen naturally.”

That openness appears to be one of the reasons the event continues to resonate so strongly across the industry.

Associate Director Peter Dawson echoed that sentiment, but from the perspective of a first-time attendee to UKREiiF. Having previously attended MIPIM, one of the biggest differences he noticed was the activity happening beyond the main conference space itself.

“What really stood out to me was the amount of fringe activity taking place outside of the main arena,” Peter explained. “There’s so much going on across Leeds and a real buzz around the city.”

Throughout the week, Peter attended sessions and events hosted by organisations including Construction for Women, Closing the Skills Gap, RICS Matrics and Shed Quarters, alongside informal networking initiatives such as morning runs organised by Property Sports Network. Together, they highlighted one of the clearest themes from the week: some of the most important industry discussions are increasingly happening outside traditional conference settings.

The Conversations Shaping the Future of the Industry

One area that particularly resonated with members of the team was the growing focus on diversity, representation and creating better opportunities for women within construction and the wider built environment.

Alongside the main conference programme, team members attended fringe events and panel discussions focused on workforce development, inclusion and the future of the industry. Sessions involving organisations such as Construction for Women and speakers including Rebecca Lovelace from Building People and Renee Preston from Construction for Women repeatedly returned to one theme: attracting and retaining talent is no longer separate from project success, it’s fundamental to it.

Across multiple panels and fringe events, workforce challenges were discussed less as HR issues and more as business-critical challenges directly impacting project delivery, growth and long-term resilience.

Phoebe attended several sessions centred around women in construction and industry accessibility, where hearing directly from professionals sharing lived experiences proved particularly impactful. “I think I learnt just how far off we still are from where we want to be,” she said, “but at the same time, how many people are genuinely trying to make change happen.”

Peter echoed this sentiment from a recruitment perspective.“Recruitment is still an issue in finding strong talent at the right price point,” Peter noted, “and attracting more young people and females into the sector remains a huge focus.”

Those challenges surfaced repeatedly throughout the week, reinforcing that workforce strategy is increasingly becoming a key factor in project success rather than simply a hiring challenge.

The week also provided opportunities to hear from industry leaders across logistics, industrial and digital infrastructure. Discussions involving figures such as Dan Holford and Andrew Pillsworth from SEGRO reinforced many of the wider themes shaping the market, particularly around long-term investment, delivery capability and evolving market demand.

“Hearing real experiences from women working in the industry is completely different from hearing a company briefing or policy statement,” Phoebe explained. “It made me realise that recruitment has a much bigger role to play than just filling jobs, we help shape teams, cultures, opportunities and ultimately the future of the industry.”

A Different Kind of Industry Event

One of the more interesting reflections from the week was how strongly UKREiiF’s identity differs from some of the larger European events within the sector. There is a distinctly British quality to the event, not just geographically, but culturally.

The atmosphere is noticeably more direct, open and accessible. Conversations feel practical. Relationship-building feels genuine. There is less emphasis on exclusivity and more focus on collaboration, delivery and shared market challenges.

In a market environment where businesses are navigating uncertainty together, that tone arguably feels more valuable than ever. Despite the cautious backdrop, there was still a clear sense that the market is moving forward.

Perhaps more carefully than before. Perhaps with more scrutiny around investment, hiring and delivery. But moving forward nonetheless. And for newer professionals attending the event for the first time, that momentum was impossible to ignore.

“People genuinely want to collaborate, share ideas and make things better,” Phoebe reflected. “You honestly walk away feeling so passionate and driven about the industry you’re part of, but also much more aware of the conversations we need to keep having to make real change happen.”

For Capstone, the week reinforced the importance of staying close to these discussions, understanding how markets are evolving, where talent challenges are emerging and how people across the industry are adapting.

Despite ongoing uncertainty, the overriding feeling leaving Leeds was clear: the market may be moving more cautiously, but it is still moving forward and the industry remains committed to shaping what comes next.