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Purpose This study examines key project management barriers hindering the integration of sustainability principles in sustainable urban regeneration projects (SURPs) in the United Kingdom, addressing the limited empirical understanding of how barriers identified in conventional construction projects manifest within the distinct SURP context. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed-methods research design was adopted. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected participants (n = 15), followed by an online questionnaire survey to gather quantitative data from a cross-section of SURP participants (n = 297) in the UK. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data, while descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to the quantitative data. Findings The study identified six key project management barriers to sustainability integration in UK SURPs, with lack of funding emerging as the most critical. This barrier also influenced others, including client reluctance, cost perceptions and organisational conflicts. According to the findings, while similar project management barriers exist in conventional projects, their degree of criticality differs in SURPs, suggesting unique contextual factors. Practical implications This study provides SURP practitioners with evidence-based insight into the interdependencies among project management barriers, enabling them to prioritise funding strategies and sustainability-aligned contractual interventions that can simultaneously mitigate multiple constraints affecting sustainability implementation. Originality/value This study contributes original empirical insight by demonstrating that while project management barriers to sustainability integration in SURPs resemble those in conventional construction projects, their relative criticality and interrelationships differ within the UK urban regeneration context, with funding emerging as a central and reinforcing constraint.