The Planning Process: Complexity and Risk

The planning system has become increasingly complex, protracted, and difficult to quantify in both time and cost terms. There is a clear tension between policy and real demand or affordability. Policy still dictates elements like the number of bedrooms and housing mix, but these do not always reflect what is actually needed on the ground.

Another challenge is the decision-making process. Too often, committees do not place enough weight on expert opinion, which results in refusals and non-determinations. This leads to lengthy, expensive appeals – a huge barrier to investment and a real blocker for the industry.

Rethinking Flex-Living and Mixed Models

Flex-living often provokes strong and sometimes conflicting opinions, but there is an opportunity to approach it differently. At present, we tend to separate different tenures into different buildings, but why not integrate them? Imagine high-density urban developments that blend PBSA, Co-Living, Senior Living, and Build-to-Rent, combined with other uses like offices, healthcare, or education.

By mixing tenures and uses vertically or horizontally within a single development, we could spread investment risk, improve resilience, and foster more inclusive communities.

Delivery and Modern Methods of Construction

The way we deliver homes is also changing. The Building Safety Act has rightly placed a greater emphasis on safe, long-term outcomes. Alongside this, modern methods of construction (MMC) remain a vital part of the solution.

When done well, MMC delivers real benefits, speed, quality, compliance and consistency. At Brent Cross Town with Related Argent and Galliford Try, we’ve just completed our fifth residential building. This one was designed and assembled through a hybrid precast system, working with PCE. Structural elements such as floors, walls, and façades were manufactured off-site. The result was faster delivery, fewer site issues, and better quality overall.

Futureproofing and Sustainability

A major shift is taking place from a mindset of minimum compliance to long-term investment in sustainability. This is increasingly driven by investor responsibility, as inefficient buildings risk becoming stranded assets.

Futureproofing means tackling both operational and embodied carbon, ensuring buildings perform well in use but also understanding their full life cycle. Systemised construction methods, AI, and digital monitoring are enabling us to measure and manage carbon much more effectively.

But sustainability goes beyond carbon. Biodiversity and biophilic design are rising higher on the agenda, both at the building scale and across wider urban contexts. The launch of Cyan Lines in Manchester is a strong example of how we can weave green and blue space into existing city fabric. By absorbing more carbon within urban centres, while reducing heat absorbers and radiators, we can create more comfortable environments in hotter temperatures without over-reliance on air conditioning. The same principles improve air quality and support natural ventilation.

For so long, the focus in England was on keeping homes warm. As recent years have shown, keeping them cool is now just as important — particularly as homes become more insulated and airtight. A broader, holistic approach to resilience will be key to creating sustainable, future-ready communities.

These are not just abstract topics for discussion, but issues that cut to the core of how we shape the next generation of homes and communities. They highlight the challenges we must address and the opportunities we should embrace as we continue to push the Living Sectors forward and make better.