Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal and professional editor, Estates Gazette Speakers: Alex Jones, partner, construction and engineering, Walker Morris Seumas Cram, senior associate, construction and engineering, Walker Morris A month after the Building Safety Levy came into force, Estates Gazette’s Jess Harrold is joined by Walker Morris’s Alex Jones and Seumas Cram to unpack which residential schemes are caught, what the levy will really cost, how developers are responding and why those who leave it to the bottom of the spreadsheet risk being caught out.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Leah Stuart, director, Civic Recorded at REGEN 2026 Manchester, brought to you by Estates Gazette and in partnership with Civic. This episode explores the value of system thinking in regeneration – looking at places as connected systems rather than a collection of individual projects.

Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter, Estates Gazette Speaker: Kimberley Grieveson, principal, Avison Young Recorded at REGEN 2026 Manchester, brought to you by Estates Gazette and in partnership with Avison Young. In this conversation, Kimberley Grieveson of Avison Young explores what it means to build resilience into regeneration across the North-West. Drawing on two decades of experience, she considers how decisions about employment space, skills, infrastructure and housing can be made together and early enough to influence delivery.

Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter, Estates Gazette Speaker: Garry Bridges, leader, Manchester City Council In this conversation, councillor Garry Bridges, leader of Manchester City Council, explores the city’s regeneration priorities and how public leadership can connect investment with better outcomes for residents. Recorded at REGEN 2026 in Manchester, brought to you by Estates Gazette.

Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter, Estates Gazette Speaker: Mark Robinson, senior development director, Kier Property Recorded at REGEN 2026 Manchester, brought to you by Estates Gazette and in partnership with Kier Property, this episode will use Kier Property's Pall Mall scheme as a practical case study in how public and private partners can work together to unlock development that the market cannot deliver alone. It will explore the importance of political alignment, shared objectives and a funding package that recognises both the public value and commercial risk involved.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Rory Weal, head of New Homes Accelerator London, GLA Head of New Homes Accelerator London at GLA discusses with Jess Harrold the scheme it launched six months ago tasked with driving housing delivery in London with a focus on schemes that can complete this parliament.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Councillor Tim Barnes, City of Westminster Council Tim Barnes from the City of Westminster sits down with Jess Harrold at the London Real Estate Forum to unveil the economic growth statement launched at the event, outlining the five priority growth sectors that build on the city’s strengths.

Chair: Jess Harold, legal & professional editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Hannah Noble, director - place advisory, Avison Young Recorded at the London Real Estate Forum in partnership with Avison Young, this episode brings together Hannah Noble at Avison Young and Estates Gazette's Jess Harrold to examine how London can move from viability to delivery, exploring the challenges holding development back and the action needed to turn ambition into tangible progress.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Richard Watson, director – London and South East, BTG Eddisons Property Auctions Recorded at the London Real Estate Forum in partnership with BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, this episode examines the market conditions increasingly driving both professional and non-professional sellers towards auction sales.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: John Woodger, head of central London capital markets, JLL and Alistair Meadows, head of international capital for UK capital markets, JLL Recorded at the London Real Estate Forum in partnership with JLL, this episode examines the renewed investment in London’s office market, from the factors driving capital back into the sector and its resilience following several years of limited dealmaking, to the outlook for transactions heading into 2027.

Chair: Jess Harold, Legal & professional editor, Estates Gazette Speaker: Annabelle Redman, real estate partner, Clyde & Co and Marc Eden, investment director, Arada London Recorded at the London Real Estate Forum in partnership with Clyde & Co, this episode examines how policy is shaping housing delivery, from the draft London Plan, the new National Planning Policy Framework and the implications of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and wider leasehold reform, to the practical issues facing developers that affect viability and affordable housing provision.

With the JLL Property Triathlon returning to Dorney Lake on 26 June, Estates Gazette sits down with Eleanor Parry, UK head of public affairs at JLL, and Natalie Ashwood, community programme lead at JLL, to look ahead to one of the property industry’s biggest sporting and social fixtures. The conversation covers the history of the event, why it has become such an important date in the industry calendar and what first-timers can expect on the day. From training tips and relay team nerves to fancy dress, family support, standout memories and the atmosphere around the lake, this episode captures the fun, camaraderie and fundraising spirit behind the triathlon. The 2026 event supports Age UK, helping to fund national advice and friendship services, as well as local support for older people through community services including exercise classes, home help and dementia support. Whether you are taking part, cheering from the sidelines or just curious about why more than 5,000 people from across the real estate community turn out for the event, this is your preview of what promises to be a brilliant day.

Chair: Akanksha Soni, news editor Speaker: Emmanuel Day, senior director new business - Living sector, RentGuarantor As the UK rental landscape undergoes its most significant transformation in a generation, the shift toward a professionalised "living sector" is creating a unique crossroads for landlords and investors. This episode, recorded at UKREiiF, will explore how the pressures of new legislation like the Renters’ Rights Act are opening doors for more resilient, de-risked assets. By looking past the regulatory noise, we uncover a story of how institutional-grade security and tenant financial well-being are becoming the twin engines driving the next era of property development and finance.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor Speakers: Lee Gordon, partner, Walker Morris Paula Hirst, director, Harlow and Gilston Garden Town The UK is standing at the edge of a new urban frontier, fuelled by a government mandate to build the first "New Towns" of the 21st century. But between the political ambition and the first spade in the ground lies a high-stakes landscape of fragmented land ownership, staggering infrastructure costs, a myriad of stakeholders and the relentless pressure of long-term viability. This episode, recorded at UKREiiF, goes beyond the headlines to explore the "heavy lifting" required to develop a new community from scratch. We’ll look at the strategic foundations and practical lessons relating to other new town and new settlement projects to address common challenges. This is a deep dive into both consenting and delivery aspects, including the role of public-private partnerships and where funding must align perfectly with private sector momentum to bridge the viability gap. This episode will move past the dry legalities of planning to tackle the "infrastructure-first" mandate and the strategic art of creating an eco-system long before the first resident moves in.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor Speakers: Nicola Hanser, director, Holistic Sophie Eastwood, managing director, Holistic Ahead of this year's UKREiiF conference, the team at Holistic Insight surveyed almost 10,000 attendees to gauge sentiment in the UK's real estate sector. In this podcast, Sophie Eastwood and Nicola Hanser of Holistic Insight tell editor Tim Burke about the findings – and why such a snapshot is so important in tracking where the next deals and opportunities will come from.

Chair: Akanksha Soni, news editor Speaker: Simon Reid, assistant director of business growth, Liverpool City Region Liverpool City Region has entered 2026 with a record £11bn pipeline and a 10-year mandate to expand the economy by a further £10bn. This is no longer a vision of what could be; it’s a roadmap for what is being built. In this episode, recorded at UKREiiF, Simon Reid, assistant director of business growth, explains how the region's £2bn Investment Fund is fuelling a new era of place-based funding. We’ll explore how the HMT Green Book revision is serving as a pilot to unlock major regeneration projects, including the transformative £5bn redevelopment of Liverpool Central Station and its vital role in Northern Powerhouse Rail. We’ll also hear about the emerging Mayoral Development Corporation, designed to remove planning friction and fast-track 17,500 new homes across the North Docks, anchored by the new Everton FC stadium and Kings Dock schemes. Join us as we discover how innovation-led growth is positioning Liverpool as the UK’s frontline for institutional capital.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor Speakers: Ben Rich, chief executive, Radix Helen Wheddon, partner, Stevens & Bolton Darren Cleveland, head of BD, marketing & client services, Stevens and Bolton This podcast, recorded at UKREiiF, explores the urgent transformation of the UK high street, shifting the focus from declining retail to the untapped potential of health as a new asset class. While there is near-universal agreement that bringing healthcare into town centres is a catalyst for both public wellbeing and economic regeneration, progress is often stalled by systemic friction and fragmented leadership. We’ll dive into the institutional barriers, from mismatched investment timescales to a risk-averse culture, that prevent the widespread development of Neighbourhood Health Hubs. We’ll also introduce the upcoming Health on the High Street Commission and highlight the plan to unblock planning and financial obstacles, positioning health as a resilient, long-term opportunity for real estate to diversify and repurpose stranded assets. By filling empty shopping centres with vital services, can we increase footfall, drive dynamic growth and deliver wide-reaching societal benefits to the heart of our town centres?

Chair: Tim Burke, editor Speaker: Leigh Thomas, group managing director, property, Kier Property When it comes to town and city regeneration, the near-term challenges for developers are stark, but the need for action is pressing and the long-term benefits still clear. In the case of Kier Property, the role of master planner places it in a pivotal position to drive change and overcome challenges. In this podcast, recorded at UKREiiF, Estates Gazette speaks with Kier managing director Leigh Thomas about the projects that prove what can be achieved, what our cities need more of – and less of – from the built environment, and the reset required in public-private partnerships.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor Speaker: Stuart Woolgar, CEO, Global Guardians In an era of rising urban density and acute housing pressure, leaving buildings dormant is no longer just an oversight. It is an unnecessary direct cost. Across the UK, public and private sector property owners and agents hold significant volumes of empty offices and underutilised assets, often without a clear, viable route to bring them back into use. This episode, recorded at UKREIIF, explores how empty buildings can be repositioned from liability to strategic asset through practical, immediate solutions. Instead of focusing only on long-term redevelopment alone, we examine how intelligent interim use, through approaches such as property guardianship, can reduce holding costs, improve security and activate buildings in real time. Stuart discusses what prevents assets from being used, where traditional models fall short and how a more agile, operational approach can unlock both commercial value and social impact. This brings buildings, and the communities around them, back to life.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor Speakers: James Brown, managing director, The Urbanists Mary Ann Brocklesby, county councillor, Monmouthshire County Council Regeneration is often discussed through the lens of city skylines and urban hubs, but the heart of a region’s success frequently lies in its towns and rural communities. In these areas, the challenges are unique: tackling hidden social deprivation, nurturing local talent, and creating a sense of "place" that encourages people to stay, grow, and invest their futures locally. In this episode, we are joined by county councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby and James Brown from The Urbanists to explore rural and town centre revival. We dive into the Cardiff Capital Region’s guiding philosophy of 'Live, Work and Thrive' and what it actually takes to build a sustainable community where high-quality employment and a fulfilling lifestyle coexist. Regeneration isn't something that should happen to a town; it’s a journey that must be travelled with its residents. From fostering deep community integration to enhancing the everyday quality of life, we explore how thoughtful placemaking can bridge the gap between social necessity and economic opportunity.