UKREiiF Reflection

Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon for the London and East region, shares his key takeaways from UKREiiF.

Announcements

Councils used the event as a platform to showcase their strategies to lead and deliver on growth through regeneration. UKREiiF served as the ideal platform for conversations to secure investment and development for future economic expansion throughout their respective regions. Additionally, it facilitated discussions on policy and funding, with calls for HM Treasury to establish a better funding framework that enables long term investments. We look forward to assisting councils to bring their plans to fruition.

A balancing act

Having listened to the other speakers and our own Willmott Dixon hosted panel session, it was heartening to see business leaders taking a proactive stance in prioritising social value. It is evident that social value initiatives are introducing permanent and favourable changes to local communities. However, with the growing emphasis on sustainability, it is crucial to ensure that social value and economic growth work in tandem with sustainable commitments to avoid one being left behind in the pursuit of the other.

Viability

Viability remains a significant challenge for councils and private developers. To address this, early and accurate advice on development costs is imperative. Involving and collaborating with contractors and the supply chain from project conception ensures feasibility and expedites project completion. Willmott Dixon champions this approach and has first-hand experience of its benefits.

Decarbonisation

It was clear that the decarbonisation of estates remains a challenge, with many organisations fast approaching ambitious targets set to tackle climate emergencies; achieve net zero, along with a commitment to on-going sustainability and decarbonisation. However, most of these organisations have yet to establish detailed plans to support delivery and achieve their objectives. Willmott Dixon have a team dedicated to the decarbonisation of estates; with their support a clear strategy can be put in place allowing organisations to confidently move towards a sustainable future.

Finally, collaboration was the overarching theme of UKREiiF, and it was encouraging to see so many organisations come together. To maintain and foster these collaborations, we as organisations need to dedicate time and effort towards these lasting relationships. We look forward to reconvening next year with the same level of enthusiasm and drive towards achieving our shared industry goals.

For more information on how Willmott Dixon can assist you with project feasibility, your decarbonisation journey, social value, or anything else related to your next project please get in touch here.