Podcast Episode #16: Material Matters, Cut and Fill
May 5, 2026
Explore how early cut and fill strategy, sequencing and on‑site material management shape cost, programme and environmental outcomes on development projects.
Brookbanks CPDs: Expert Insights for 2026
Explore our new programme of 30+ CPDs, sharing practical insight across planning, design and delivery in sectors from education and healthcare to infrastructure and residential. Hosted by our specialists and shaped by real project challenges, sessions are available online or in person for teams of any size. Contact Owen Smith to book your CPD.
Expanding Knowledge Across the Industry: Our New CPD Programme
We’re excited to launch a new programme of CPDs designed to share practical insight across planning, development and engineering, and to give you access to the breadth of expertise within our team.
Our sessions are shaped by real projects, real challenges and the day‑to‑day decision‑making we see across the sectors we work in, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, industry & logistics, data centres and residential. Whether you’re navigating complex development sites, looking to drive value through commercial strategy, or exploring the impact of emerging technical standards, our CPDs are built to support better outcomes across built environment sectors.
With more than 30 sessions now available, offered online for teams of any size, or delivered in person, our specialists are here to help deepen understanding, spark collaboration and equip you with practical knowledge you can apply immediately.
A Wide Range of CPDs Led by Our Specialists
We offer a varied programme of CPDs hosted by experts across civil engineering, development management, mechanical and electrical engineering, land and development, structural engineering, and cost and commercial.
Below is the full list of sessions currently available…
Civil Engineering
Our civil engineering CPDs focus on strategic planning, site optimisation and adoption processes, helping you understand the engineering considerations that shape viable development.
- Highway Adoption vs Private Estates
- Earthworks Strategies: Why Do I Need One & When
- A Developer’s Guide for Highway SuDS Adoption
- Unlocking Complex Development Sites
Cost & Commercial
These sessions explore commercial strategy, risk and value, supporting better financial outcomes and more informed project management.
- S106 Recovery
- Unlocking the Funding Commitment to Affordable Housing (and the 10‑Year Commitment)
- Extensions of Time & Loss, and Expense Claims
- Project Risk Management
- Best Practice Procurement
- Think Like a Developer
- Valuation
Development Management
Designed to provide context, case‑based learning and strategic insight into managing large‑scale developments.
- Sherford Case Study
- Master Developer Partnership
- Planning in 2026
- Homes England Funding: Myth Busting
Land, Development & Communities
Our specialists cover strategic land considerations, sustainable development and the evolving regulatory environment.
- Technical‑Led Land Searching
- Transport Planning
- Future Homes Standard and Sustainable Development
- Utility Infrastructure: Strategic Development Impact
- Nutrient Neutrality Mitigation
- Schedule 3: Water Management Act
Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
These CPDs help teams navigate modern M&E challenges, from compliance to sustainability and emerging technologies.
- Overheating
- Part L Compliance
- Achieving Net Zero Carbon on IRC Schemes
- On‑Site PV & Battery Storage Solutions
- Electric Vehicle Charging
Structural Engineering
Technical, insightful and grounded in real case studies, our structural sessions explore both traditional and innovative design approaches.
- Structural Concrete Frame Design: Lean Design Philosophy (Vantage Tower, Centenary Quay Case Study)
- Load‑Bearing Masonry Buildings up to 4 Storeys: Rationalising Blockwork Strengths & Reducing Foundation Loads
- Bridgend College Case Study: Building in an Existing Backfilled Quarry
- Concrete Transfer Slabs: Impact & Implications of New IStructE Guidance
- Sustainable Structural Design: Concrete Mixes, Timber, Offsite Construction, Adding Floors & Building Re‑Use (Richmond Magistrates Court Refurbishment: Issues & Design Development)
- Historic Building Repair & Conversion
How to Book
Whether you are looking for a single session, a themed series, or a tailored programme for your team, we’d be happy to help you find the right CPDs for your needs.
Drop Owen Smith an email to discuss your requirements and to book your session.
Team members on the podcast
Client Relationship Manager
Owen Smith
Read ProfileMore News
Mitigating the Impact of Global Uncertainty
April 30, 2026
Rising geopolitical tension does not affect development viability in isolation, but through increasing pressure on energy prices, supply chains and the cost of energy‑intensive materials. Where schemes are progressed on assumptions made under more stable conditions, these pressures can quickly challenge margins, appraisals and deliverability, particularly in a flat housing market. Our article looks at how developers can respond to build cost volatility in a more informed and proportionate way. Drawing on our specialists' experience, it explores how early coordination, design‑led value engineering and integrated decision‑making can help manage cost risk, protect scheme viability and avoid short‑term measures that compromise long‑term quality and value.
Our April 2026 Newsletter
April 27, 2026
Welcome to our April 2026 newsletter. In this month's Brookbanks newsletter, learn more about how high-rise developments can be made more deliverable, with guidance on how you can reduce risk and protect viability. We're also looking back on our April webinar, where Annabel Le Lohe and Katherine Peers gave a rundown of Environmental Impact Assessments and how coordination can make a real impact on project delivery. Plus, there's a recap of this month's podcasts featuring two special guests. Paul Smith, Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group, and Tom Park, Associate Development Director at Caddick Developments. Also, find out which members of our team will be at UKREiiF as well as more about the CPD event we're co-hosting with the LPDF in May.