Heather Topel
Director of Development - Head of Bermondsey, Grosvenor
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ULI UK Report Launch: 21st Century New Communities: Raising the Ambition
ULI UK and Prior + Partners are delighted to invite you to the launch of our new joint publication to raise the ambition for new community development in the UK.
The UK housing crisis is well documented, and dramatically increasing the delivery of new homes requires a multitude of different interventions and a variety of different approaches appropriate to the local context. Over the long term, large scale new community developments can be part of the solution to this crisis, as well as creating opportunities for fantastic new places to live. However, despite the intent, many of these new developments often never materialise, or when delivered, are frequently poor in quality and fail to live up to their promised potential. Furthermore, the current and future challenges facing our economy, society and environment including the climate emergency, technological advancements, and the recent experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic, raise fundamental questions about the nature and function of our villages, towns and cities, and how they can support environmentally sustainable and healthy lifestyles.
In 2020 we set out to understand the key attributes a new community should have, the issues associated with creating fantastic new places at scale, and what lessons can be learnt from existing practice to inform future delivery. Through a series of roundtable discussions with key industry leaders involved in the delivery of new communities, drawing on Prior + Partners experience in large scale new community planning and masterplanning, and the knowledge, expertise, and the experience of ULI UK’s membership, we identified five core delivery principles and twelve foundations for success. These draw on the rare examples of current good practice, for new community developments of the 2020’s to become the best practice examples of the future, fit for the 21st century and beyond.
Chaired by Richard Meier (ULI UK Executive Committee Member and Co-Founder of Stories), the launch event will encompass an overview of the key research findings by Jason Prior of Prior + Partners, who will be joined by a panel of leaders in the delivery of new community development. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the authors and the panel as part of the Q and A session.
In undertaking this research and publishing this report, we seek to improve the quality of homes and new community development delivered throughout the UK. By offering new insights and inspiration to all those seeking to be, or who are already actively engaged in the delivery of new towns, villages, or urban extensions, we aim to create the momentum for positive change.
The UK housing crisis is well documented, and dramatically increasing the delivery of new homes requires a multitude of different interventions and a variety of different approaches appropriate to the local context. Over the long term, large scale new community developments can be part of the solution to this crisis, as well as creating opportunities for fantastic new places to live. However, despite the intent, many of these new developments often never materialise, or when delivered, are frequently poor in quality and fail to live up to their promised potential. Furthermore, the current and future challenges facing our economy, society and environment including the climate emergency, technological advancements, and the recent experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic, raise fundamental questions about the nature and function of our villages, towns and cities, and how they can support environmentally sustainable and healthy lifestyles.
In 2020 we set out to understand the key attributes a new community should have, the issues associated with creating fantastic new places at scale, and what lessons can be learnt from existing practice to inform future delivery. Through a series of roundtable discussions with key industry leaders involved in the delivery of new communities, drawing on Prior + Partners experience in large scale new community planning and masterplanning, and the knowledge, expertise, and the experience of ULI UK’s membership, we identified five core delivery principles and twelve foundations for success. These draw on the rare examples of current good practice, for new community developments of the 2020’s to become the best practice examples of the future, fit for the 21st century and beyond.
Chaired by Richard Meier (ULI UK Executive Committee Member and Co-Founder of Stories), the launch event will encompass an overview of the key research findings by Jason Prior of Prior + Partners, who will be joined by a panel of leaders in the delivery of new community development. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the authors and the panel as part of the Q and A session.
In undertaking this research and publishing this report, we seek to improve the quality of homes and new community development delivered throughout the UK. By offering new insights and inspiration to all those seeking to be, or who are already actively engaged in the delivery of new towns, villages, or urban extensions, we aim to create the momentum for positive change.
Please join us for the launch of the report on the 2nd March, which also acts as the kick off for our 21st century new communities programme. Over the next year we will be bringing together individuals and organisations across the real estate and built environment industries and public sector, to further explore through roundtable discussions, site visits, and study tours, how the principles and foundations for success that we have identified can be delivered as standard moving forward, rather than by exception.
Confirmed Speakers:
Speakers
James Jamieson
Central Bedfordshire Council
Cllr James Jamieson was first elected to Central Bedfordshire Council in 2009 and served as a Chair of Scrutiny. He was elected as Leader following the 2011 elections and currently represents the Westoning Ward having previously represented Flitwick.
Cllr Jamieson has lived in Bedfordshire since the mid-eighties. He is a qualified engineer with a Masters degree from Sheffield University, and worked in industry and banking for over 20 years before setting up his own consultancy providing strategic advice to companies.
He was elected Leader of the LGA Conservative Group in July 2018 and was subsequently elected as LGA Chairman in July 2019
Richard Cook
Clarion Housing
Richard has over 30 years’ experience in the Property industry and has led the delivery of complex mixed-use regeneration projects across the world. As Group Director of Development, Richard is responsible for leading and implementing Clarion’s ambitious development strategy to deliver sustainable communities across England. He leads a team of over 200 staff who have responsibility across the development lifecycle from new business, through to delivery and customer care.
Richard is a member of both the NHBC Foundation and Quality Expert panel.
Richard Meier
Director , Stories Ltd
Sophie White
Director of Infrastructure Grants, Homes England
Sophie is the Director of Infrastructure Grants at Homes England and currently responsible for the deployment and management of circa £4bn of grant funding. The grants fund infrastructure of all descriptions from roads, rail, electricity through to relatively small scale ground preparation works which unlock land for housing across the country. Prior to her current role Sophie jointly led the Infrastructure Loans team providing funding to the private sector to accelerate major schemes such as Greenwich Peninsula, Brent Cross and Alconbury. Before joining the Agency in 2014 she spent 14 years at Drivers Jonas, latterly Deloitte Real Estate focussed on development, valuation and agency after having qualified at Savills where she started her career.