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Clare Jones and Madison Thomas of BPS Chartered Surveyors assess whether the August 2026 NPPF reforms can overcome rising build costs, low flat sales, and viability bottlenecks to restart stalled housing delivery.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 government has unveiled seven proposed locations for a new generation of new towns, signaling a major shift toward large-scale, infrastructure-led growth. From Milton Keynes to Victoria North, learn how this 21st-century placemaking mission aims to deliver up to 40,000 homes per site alongside integrated employment hubs.

Francis Truss, Partner in the National Strategic Land team, argues that the next generation of new towns requires more than just ambition. To succeed where others have stalled, the government must place empowered development corporations at the heart of delivery to manage the decades-long cycles of infrastructure, land assembly, and social value.

The UK is facing a devastating housing crisis with over 172,000 children in temporary accommodation. ACES leaders Alan Richards and Melvyn Stone propose a radical new "Affordable Housing Model" to bypass viability delays and accelerate the delivery of social rent homes.

As the UK faces intense demand for quality rental homes, 2026 marks a critical crossroads for the Build to Rent (BTR) sector. From planning reform to the Renters’ Rights Act, discover what will determine if BTR becomes a mainstream solution for the housing crisis.

With a pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes, the Labour government is moving to "oil the wheels" of the planning system. But can planning reform alone solve the deep-rooted imbalance between rising build costs and the need for affordable housing?.