New report reveals hotspots outside of London where property and construction is thriving

Tunbridge Wells has the most thriving construction landscape outside of London, according to a new report released by Monster-Mesh, construction branding specialists. The study analysed five key indicators across 84 UK locations, to reveal construction hotspots outside of the capital.

Construction is one of the UK’s most vital sectors, supporting the economy through housing delivery, infrastructure projects, and providing thousands of skilled jobs. With London often dominating in scale and growth, Monster-Mesh’s research aimed to uncover where the industry is thriving across regional hubs, ranking locations based on:

• Number of construction firms in the region (as a percentage of the total) (1)

• Construction gross value added (GVA) per head (in GBP) (2)

• Percentage increase in the construction workforce (forecasted 2024-29) (3)

• Total spend on construction branding in the location (per 100,00 people) (4)

• Number of advertised construction jobs (per 100,000 people) (5)

Each indicator was given a score, then combined into an overall index, indicating the health of the construction sector in that particular area. To ensure fairness across cities and towns of different sizes, the figures were presented proportionally to the local population or as percentage figures. 

The Construction Industry’s Top Ten Thriving Locations (Outside of London)

- Rank, Location and Index score (out of 500)

1. Tunbridge Wells, Kent = 399

2. Redhill, Surrey = 376

3. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire = 339

4. Canterbury, Kent = 367

5. Reading, Berkshire = 358

6. Chelmsford, Essex = 348

7. Oxford, Oxfordshire = 346

8. Dartford, Kent = 342

9. Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire = 344

10. Colchester, Essex = 324

Tunbridge Wells named the most thriving place for construction

Tunbridge Wells secured the top spot, with strong performance across every indicator in the rankings.The region’s construction workforce is expected to increase by 4% between 2024 and 2029, and that’s with one job board already listing 116 construction jobs in Tunbridge Wells at the moment (that’s around 226 per 100,000 residents).

Around 17% of the UK’s construction businesses are also located in the wider South East region, this is the highest in any area outside of London. Plus an impressive £43,608 per 100,000 people is spent on construction branding, a sign of investment and confidence in the industry’s future. What’s more, construction in the region generates a GVA of £35,845 per head (Gross Value Added), driving the local economy. 

Mark McLennan, Founder at Monster-Mesh said,

“Tunbridge Wells is seeing major development activity at the moment, including multi-million-pound regeneration projects such as the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre and the town’s 15-year vision for the centre(6). This combined with a well established construction landscape in the South East of England, appears to be driving confidence and potential growth for the sector in Tunbridge Wells.”

Redhill named second most thriving place for construction

Redhill claimed second place in the index, with the wider performance of the surrounding South East supporting their construction sector. The town currently has around 67 advertised construction jobs (that’s 118 per 100,000 residents) and the region can expect to see a 4% increase in its construction workforce by 2029 (forecast 2024-29).

Branding spend was also particularly strong, reaching £45,548 per 100,000 people, suggesting firms in Redhill are actively competing for growth. With a construction GVA of £35,845 per head in the South East too, Redhill is located in a perfect spot to take advantage of the thriving sector. Projects such as the recently announced upgrades at The Belfry Shopping Centre(7), alongside £3.4million investment into the transport system(8) provide a further boost.

Cambridge named third most thriving place for construction

Third place Cambridge, stands out among the top three for its high workforce growth. A 5% increase in construction jobs is forecast for the region between 2024 and 2029. The city also recorded 516 construction jobs advertised (that’s 410 per 100,000 people), making it a great place to be in the construction trade. 

While brand spend was more modest at £11,492 (per 100,000 people), Cambridge sits within a strong regional hub for construction innovation, with Gross Value Added per head in the East of England reaching £29,586 and 12.7% of all UK construction businesses operating in the area. 

Cambridge’s position reflects both its strong employment market and the city’s long-term expansion, helped by developments like the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and railway schemes, designed to support the city’s fast-growing population(9).

Regional divides continue 

The report findings highlighted that there is still a divide across the UK. The South East and East of England have a higher percentage of construction firms and higher gross value added, which gave many towns and cities in these locations a boost in the rankings. 

Interestingly though, the North West has matched the East of England in forecast workforce growth, at 5% - the South East isn’t far behind at 4%. On the opposite side of the scale, the North East can expect just 2% growth between 2024 and 2029, whilst Wales is forecast 3%. This is a contributing factor to why no locations within these two regions made the top ten list. In fact, Darlington, Swansea and Newcastle ranked at the very bottom of the rankings table, in the lowest three places. 

Mark McLennan, Founder at Monster-Mesh said,

“While London continues to dominate in scale, our research highlights that many regional hubs are thriving thanks to a strong mix of business density, workforce growth, and investment in branding. Locations like Tunbridge Wells, Redhill and Cambridge highlight how branding spend can be a real marker of confidence in the sector, with firms actively competing for visibility as demand rises. 

“The regional differences we see, such as, higher GVA in the South East and workforce growth in the North West, reflect how local economies, regeneration funding, and housing demand are shaping the UK’s construction landscape.”

Whilst London is the obvious capital for construction, the UK has a thriving construction sector outside of the city. Places across the South East and East of England such as, Tunbridge Wells, Redhill and Cambridge show strong signs of growth, with regional investment and solid job markets driving this forward now and in the years to come. For further information on this report, to see how your city fared, or to how branding can support growth for your business, please visit Monster-Mesh.co.uk.