Wallace Whittle at UKREiiF 2025: The Round Up
From sunshine to serious discussion, UKREiiF 2025 brought the industry together for three packed days in Leeds.
Our Wallace Whittle team were out in full force over the week, contributing to key conversations around housing, planning, ESG, and sustainability, while reconnecting with clients, collaborators, and colleagues from across the UK.
UKREiiF, organised by the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, is an event which serves as a platform where industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders meet, exchange insights, and investigate collaborative opportunities that shape the future of Real Estate and Infrastructure across the entire country.
We spoke to some of our attending delegates to reflect on some of the key themes and many, many conversations they had.
Action Over Words
There was a clear sense of proactivity throughout, underscored by keynote speeches from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook. Their presence reflected a growing momentum in government, with Pennycook in particular emphasising the need for sustained investment in housing as a critical step in addressing the UK’s housing crisis. It’s a welcome shift from rhetoric to action, a theme that resonated strongly throughout the three days.
“In a world where there isn’t a huge amount of money and where some enormous challenges have been left at our doorstep, bringing existing housing stock up to standard, transforming a planning system that was, I think, in all honesty, faltering on all fronts, getting these are all very difficult challenges.” Matthew Pennycook shared.
Angela Raynor also emphasised the need for action, as she spoke on the opening day of the Forum, highlighting some of the activity the Labour Government has had across housing and development, and the aims for local government and ensuring growth, she shared:
“I urge everyone across the whole system to seize them with both hands. To investors, I say there is an exciting array of opportunities. Tom spoke about them. To our housebuilders, we have listened, and we’re reversing the tide to create the right conditions. But now we need you to build, build, build.”
Craig Robertson, Director for England and Head of Residential, captured a prevailing mood across the event: that the time for talking has passed, and delivery is what matters.
“There seems to be more action and less words this year. I spoke to a huge number of people, so many are looking to get things done, which is exactly what we want to see. The message from the Housing Minister was clear: simplify planning, fund affordable housing, and get building. That aligns perfectly with what we do at Wallace Whittle, and with what the country needs.
The Building Safety Act also continues to be a major point of focus, and rightly so. It’s essential that we don’t just build quickly, but that we build safely, responsibly, and with long-term performance in mind.”
ESG & Sustainability
It was clear from the first morning in Leeds that ESG and Sustainability are no longer a side convention; they are the main stage. From multiple panels, pavilions, to informal chats, ESG and sustainability led thinking was front and center at this years’ UKREiiF.
The UK Government Knowledge Hub’s session, “Accelerating to Net Zero”, drew a packed crowd and set an ambitious tone. With the Government’s mission to “Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower” as the backdrop, the discussion focused on the vital role the property and construction sectors must play in the nation’s climate goals. Experts from local government, the NHS, and central departments shared emerging best practices in aligning estate strategies with net zero targets, a theme that resonates strongly with our long-standing focus on energy strategy and sustainable performance.
As our Head of ESG & Sustainability, Nick Hayes shared:
“I’ve been to three sessions today that were particularly strong, all focused on ESG and the Net Zero Carbon agenda. It’s encouraging to see these topics no longer treated as add-ons, but as central pillars of how we design, develop, and deliver buildings.”
And from Sarah Chipchase, our Director of Sustainability:
“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to discuss sustainability, in particular. It’s such a big part of the agenda now, and everyone wants to talk about it and see where we are going with it. It’s fantastic to be a part of that progression.”
Optimism for Scotland
Scotland had a strong presence throughout UKREiiF 2025, with high-level discussions showcasing the region’s momentum, potential, but also the challenges that demand urgent attention.
A key moment came during the JLL-hosted panel discussion “Growth, Collaboration and Capital: Driving Scotland’s Two Leading Cities”, where leaders from Glasgow and Edinburgh discussed how both cities are attracting infrastructure and housing investment. The panel, featuring local government and industry leaders, underlined the optional of shared vision between Scotland’s largest cities, and how using their collective strengths can enhance appeal to investors, whilst still recognising each city’s unique attributes.
For Stephen Osborne, our Director of Edinburgh, this session struck a chord, he shared:
“There’s a lot of optimism and energy right now, it really feels like ‘Team Scotland’. But we need action. Scotland should already be delivering the kind of large-scale BTR developments we see in Leeds. These schemes are dependent on unlocking the Housing Bill and getting the legislative framework right.
Being in Leeds and surrounded by active developments is a clear reminder of what’s possible when policy aligns with ambition. Scotland is doing brilliant work, but we need political clarity to accelerate delivery.”
Development within the West Midlands
The West Midlands Pavilion was a standout for our team this year, not just for the energy in the room, but for the powerful updates it delivered on the region’s long-term regeneration strategy.
For Darren Wright, our Director in Birmingham, the pavilion reflected the growing ambition and momentum across the region.
“Attending UKREiiF last week was an enriching experience, the highlight for me was the West Midlands Pavilion, it was a hub of activity, showcasing the region’s transformative potential through various development opportunities and regenerative schemes.
A significant highlight was the announcement of a joint venture between Lendlease and The Crown Estate. This partnership aims to unlock substantial development potential, including over 2 million square feet of commercial space and 3,400 new homes at Smithfield. The joint venture is expected to create around 9,000 jobs during the construction phase, including opportunities for apprenticeships and supporting people back into work.”
The Smithfield Project is one of the UK’s most ambitious city-centre regeneration schemes, and Wallace Whittle is proud to be part of the consultant team helping bring it to life. Our work supports the project’s bold sustainability goals and community-driven outcomes, reflecting our commitment to engineering with long-term impact. You can learn more about Smithfield here.
At the same time, Paul Dean, our Director for Manchester, attended a number of key industry-led discussions, including a Bank of England briefing hosted by Turner & Townsend.
“It was an excellent couple of days catching up with old and new connections. A fantastic, well-managed event by UKREiiF, and I want to give a special thanks to Sir Robert McAlpine, Civic Engineers, Turner & Townsend, and Cityheart for the kind event invitations.”
From ambitious panels and energised pavilions to spontaneous conversations and real progress on the ground UKREiiF 2025 reminded us what’s possible when the industry comes together with shared purpose. Across the three days, our delegates engaged in some of the most pressing conversations shaping the future of our towns, cities and communities.
From Scotland’s call for housing legislation and investment, to the West Midlands’ bold regeneration agenda, to national conversations on affordable housing, planning reform and the transition to Net Zero. What stood out the most was the consistency of the message: the need for collaboration, clarity and commitment. Whether it was driving forward landmark projects like Smithfield or helping shape strategies for BTR & PBSA, or pushing for a more unified approach to social value and ESG, our team saw first-hand how aligned the industry is on the issues that matter.
We’d like to thank everyone who made UKREiiF 2025 such a productive event, and we look forward to continuing the conversation!
Get in touch with us today to discuss your next project – [email protected]
