Professor Janice Morphet and Dr Ben Clifford present interim findings from their 2026 UCL Bartlett study, revealing that 95% of English local authorities are actively supporting direct housing delivery through council companies, joint ventures, acquisitions, and strategic land development.

Grace Esberger of Park Avenue Recruitment speaks with local authority property heads about tackling the skills shortage, balancing permanent hiring with strategic interims, and growing their own surveying pipelines through clear career pathways.

Carter Jonas specialists Alexandra Houghton, Sophie Davidson, and David Johnson analyze the uneven recovery across UK housing, commercial property, and strategic land, outlining key viability risks, market polarisation, and strategic asset choices for local authorities in 2026.

Charles Elgy and Francis Truss explore how Registered Providers are moving upstream from pure Section 106 purchasers to active development partners, using joint ventures and strategic grant funding to secure long-term affordable housing pipelines.

Francis Truss of Carter Jonas explains why a modern council housebuilding drive cannot simply recreate the 1950s municipal model, showing how today’s delivery relies on mixed-tenure schemes, private partnerships, and rebuilding local authority development capacity.

Carter Jonas researcher Rad Radev examines the government's updated MEES timetable for non-domestic property, revealing that 63% of larger commercial spaces still fall below the proposed EPC B standard and explaining why landlords must use this planning window to act

Matthew Hopkinson introduces Understanding English Places (uep.org.uk), a groundbreaking spatial data platform mapping 3,463 English towns and cities to equip local authorities with granular, evidence-based intelligence for regeneration, funding bids, and policy design.

John Mason explores how local authorities can once again become major housebuilders by examining the £50m East Barnwell regeneration scheme in Cambridge, demonstrating how joint ventures and sustainable densification can unlock high-quality affordable housing.

Harry Bunbury, Director at HBD, reflects on a decade of delivering Airport Business Park Southend with Southend-on-Sea City Council, exploring how trust, two-tier governance, and shared risk make public-private partnerships succeed.

Retired chartered surveyor Simon Eades looks back on his early career at Norwich Union, revisiting the trials of rewriting his 1980 RICS qualification submission, measuring major shopping developments, and cross-country road trips.

Working with the public sector requires a unique approach because success isn't just measured by profit, but by community value and social outcomes. Phil Farrell shares insights on how public sector surveyors can cut through complex procurement, locate true property specialists, and build the trust required to get the most out of their private sector consultants.

At the Landed x LSH breakfast panel during UKREiiF, industry experts gathered to dissect the pressing issues facing the UK residential development market. From escalating build costs and strategic landowner legacy planning to severe water infrastructure capacity limits and housing association targets, the panel highlights why cross-sector collaboration is the ultimate tool to unlock stalled sites.

The draft NPPF suggests making cash in lieu of on-site affordable housing easier to use for medium developments. While this flexibility can unlock stalled SME schemes struggling with rigid policies and limited registered provider appetite , it also carries major risks. Chris Green explains why commuted sums must be used carefully with strict safeguards to avoid turning cash into a deferral mechanism rather than a real housing solution.

The government wants to hit ambitious housing targets while moving away from the leasehold system, but high-density developments could face major bottlenecks. Tim Foreman outlines why the transition to commonhold must be managed carefully with a pragmatic transition period—rather than a cliff edge—to maintain developer, lender, and buyer confidence.

With affordable housing needs reaching 180,000 homes a year, the current system of relying on private developer cross-subsidy is falling short. James Cogan explores why rigid quotas are leaving developments on the drawing board and argues for a shift toward strategic cash-in-lieu use and direct public sector delivery to fix our broken housing model.

The Department for Education’s (DfE) updated nonstatutory guidance on school land transactions has major procedural and legal implications for local authorities. From stricter consent discipline and rigid "nil-value" principles to the heightened scrutiny surrounding playing field disposals, councils must adjust to longer transaction lead times. Amanda Timcke breaks down why early legal alignment is vital to navigating these sharpened risk points without stalling key developme

While underlying market demand for vibrant urban centers remains strong, mounting viability constraints and high construction costs make independent delivery difficult. Alex McKinlay highlights how public-private partnerships can strategically bridge this gap. By analyzing active models across Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, this piece shows why public sector land assembly, planning certainty, and infrastructure investment are essential to unlo

The London Bridges Walk saw ACES members, families, and colleagues from across the public sector come together for a grueling yet rewarding 25 km trek along the Thames Path. Author Daniella Barrow recaps the journey from Hammersmith to Tower Bridge, reflecting on how London's iconic crossings—from the structural adaptations of Hammersmith Bridge to the modern sustainability integrations at Blackfriars—serve as vital case studies for real estate long-term stewardship. Learn mo

Transforming underutilized town centre real estate into thriving community spaces requires deeper collaboration between local authorities and grassroots groups. Drawing on real-world case studies from Sheffield, Chichester, and the Wirral, Bex Trevalyan from Platform Places explores how dedicated council roles, adapted grant cashflow models, and cross-departmental site visits can shift internal legal and finance mindsets to replace risk avoidance with shared community value.

Despite constant criticism from rating agents, trade bodies, and politicians, the business rates system remains a remarkably efficient revenue-generating tool for local government. Chris Grose, Director in the Hartnell Taylor Cook Business Rates Team and Junior Vice President of the IRRV, evaluates the main arguments raised by dissenters. Examining tax multipliers, historic rental valuation lags, and empty property rates burdening landlords, he outlines why radical overhauls