Main Takeaways From the UK Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum
- Tom Bridges
- Jun 21, 2024
- 3 min read
UKREiiF Learnings
The UK Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum (UKREiiF) was held in Leeds recently bringing together places and businesses to unlock investment in regeneration and infrastructure. With over 12,000 attendees, 800+ speakers, 150 exhibitors, 250+ local authorities, and over 2000 investors, developers and occupiers, the event helps set the agenda and provides a valuable barometer of trends and issues for regeneration and local growth.
Reflecting on the discussions that took place at the conference, I have three main takeaways relevant to the Delivery Associates Network.
Investor appetite and the project investment pipeline is getting stronger
National and international investors see great potential in UK towns and cities with their compelling plans and programmes for regeneration and growth, innovative businesses, creative and ambitious communities and community groups, farsighted education, health and cultural anchor institutions, and switched-on civic leadership.
Places are being increasingly ambitious in attracting private sector investment in local growth using public sector funded regeneration programmes acting as a catalyst. Nonetheless, there is often still work to do to create investor-ready propositions.
Long-term partnerships are needed to build the pipeline and packages of projects that are genuinely investible at the right scale, and with an appropriate balance of sharing risk and return between the public and private sectors. Leadership matters; places are demonstrating strong collaborative leadership around growth and regeneration, building broad-based coalitions around visions for positive change, working with and through a wide range of organisations to lever-in and coordinate investment.
Quality of place and pride in place matters
The quality of public realm, green space, and retail, cultural, heritage and leisure offer is a bell-weather for how investors and communities feel about the places and their prospects. Increasingly investors and firms making locational decisions are taking an “outside-in” approach, considering the wider context for their schemes and premises. People want to live, work, and spend time and money in attractive and safe places. Culture and sport are being mobilised as drivers of regeneration and investment. Creating and curating great places through good design and place management is a must-have, not a nice-to-have in attracting investment.
Social value and sustainability are going up the agenda with a focus on outcomes designed-in from the outset
There is increasing recognition that investors and occupiers are looking for schemes that design in resilience to the effects of extreme weather, optimise health and well-being, and minimise carbon emissions from buildings and infrastructure. There is an increasingly concerted drive for regeneration projects to support everyone in society to contribute to and benefit from local growth to their full potential. These issues are more-and-more being factored into scheme objectives and designs, as opposed to being a retrospective impact measurement. The infrastructure and property and regeneration sector are demonstrating a stronger understanding of their role in developing a more diverse talent pipeline in terms of their workforce and future professionals, doing so in a way that promotes social inclusion and mobility.
Tom Bridges is the Delivery Associates Leader and an experienced professional in urban and regional policy, economic development, economic analysis, regeneration, planning and transport, devolution, and city operations. Tom was Chief Officer Economy and Regeneration of Leeds City Council 2012 to 2018. He has a strong track record of delivery, unlocking funding and investment, and in building capacity and capability within teams to support implementation and achieve successful project outcomes.
If you have any questions on this topic, or would like support, please contact your Delivery Associate, or email DeliveryAssociatesNetwork@Arup.com
