Well that was UKREiiF and despite the inclement weather, the conference proved to be a useful forum for casting a spot light around the various development opportunities that the nation has to offer. Translating that into housing delivery is a different matter but I think it’s worth making the following observations about the conference:
Firstly, with over 1,500 public sector delegates, the conference is now the premier place for actually getting public private partnership going across the country. It is the new MIPIM as far as the UK is concerned and with Leeds set to continue to host the venue next year, a far more appropriate place to build legitimate links. MIPIM for all its benefits, namely the weather and La Croisette, has a bit of a stigma. It’s not a good look and affords an opportunity for those who wish to stop things in their local area to criticise the public sector for going on jollies to exotic places. Leeds for all its virtues is not exotic.
Second, you can spot who is open for business, at least rhetorically by attendance. There was a good turnout from northern and midland authorities as well some of the London Boroughs. Lambeth, Ealing, Southwark and Lewisham all sent multiple staff and teams to the event highlighting that they get things needs to be done in collaboration. Turnout was less strong from the southeastern Authorities although Suffolk and Norfolk seemed to be out and about in organised force.
There were also some notable absences amongst the London Boroughs which was a shame. My old Borough of Wandsworth, for so long a place open to investment had a no show. As did Havering which has benefited from the Lizzy line and really should be using this opportunity as a catalyst for significant inward investment.
Third, I think UKREiiF and what it offers can be built upon. There’s a huge opportunity to join things up in this country and an absolute willingness amongst the uk built environment fraternity to try. However, this really is only going to be possible if we have a housing team at a national level that stays in the job for long enough and starts to see housing as essential infrastructure rather than a platform for promotion and publicity. Perhaps it was timely the election date was called whilst we were ducking under cover from the rain then!
That means two further things in reality. A national plan which starts to use data to map the housing opportunities properly. Second a team of Ministers and officials that stop talking about disconnected policies but start focusing on the built environment and what is needed to get things going. That requires proper leadership nationally to help direct long term relationships between local government and the private sector to orchestrate and deliver. We had this before in this country but the muscle has wasted away over the last few years. However, with the opportunities that data mapping and proptech affords, if we can get the politics to calm down, there’s no reason why conferences such as UK REiiF can be the precursor to a more joined up approach that this country so desperately needs.
