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Welcome to the 2025/26 Winter Terrier.
ACES has a new President – Alan Richards of Southend-on-Sea City Council. This issue includes reports of the proceedings held at the spectacular Cardiff Castle in November. Thanks, of course, to ACES Corporate Members Norse, Avison Young, Carter Jonas, and Lambert Smith Hampton. The sun shone, although it was proceeded by heavy snow in parts of Wales. Heavy snow seems to be a feature of this winter, as I look out at the winter wonderland scene of my garden.
This is another bumper issue of 40 articles. While there is the usual wide range of professional topics, two topics stand out, and will be areas of major work during Alan’s Presidential year and beyond, namely the linked crisis of homelessness and affordable housing provision, and local government review. Both are complex issues and ones in which ACES members and its corporate sponsors can play a dominant role – but they need buy in by members too. ACES’ Fellow, Jackie Sadek, is working with Alan and his team on the housing issue and will rouse you into action.
Once again, there are a few pieces which I hope are of interest to ACES’ growing cohort of FACES members.
Winter 2026
ACES Terrier
In this Issue
THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT Clarity, accountability and better buildings
The Building Safety Act is the most significant suite of improvements to fire and safety regulations in living memory. From the "golden thread" of information to the new Gateway approval process, Watts Group explores how the industry is shifting toward long-term accountability and better buildings
Watts
COMMUNITY PROJECT INFRASTRUCTURE The Cliff Gardens Project - or how not to retire
Transforming an unmade road into a Climate Change Educational Beach Garden sounds simple, but as John Morris discovers, it involves years of planning consent, road safety audits, and public inquiries.
John Morris
NEW COMMUNITIES The modern day Bournville
As the government looks to a new era of new towns, Nigel Booen explores whether the 19th-century principles of Bournville can inspire today’s digital age. By anchoring 15-minute neighborhoods around modern industries like data centers and life sciences hubs, we can create sustainable, high-quality communities that solve the housing crisis while driving national productivity.
Nigel Booen
AFFORDABLE HOUSING MODEL Presentation by Alan Richards and Melvyn Stone, with a ‘call to arms’ from Jackie Sadek
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.
Melvyn Stone and Alan Richards and Jackie Sadek
MORE MUSINGS How good is your memory?
Thirty years ago, I was made redundant from a commercial practice in Norwich. What followed was a second journey that took me from a private office overlooking the Cathedral to a career in local government and a long-awaited academic victory.
Simon Eades
BUILD TO RENT 2026 will test BTR’s potential and government’s resolve
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.
Justine Edmonds
COMMUNITY RIGHT TO BUY The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill’s Right to Buy
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill promises to hand communities a new right to buy local assets, from empty pubs to shops. While the aim is to stimulate local pride and tackle high street decline, the policy echoes the "Community Right to Bid" introduced in 2011—a process that proved cumbersome and rarely successful. For this new initiative to be transformative rather than just a "well-meaning echo," the government must provide the funding and technical sup
Victoria Yeandle
SHARED OWNERSHIP The missing middle: Why shared ownership must be central to affordable housing policy
Shared ownership is being sidelined by the government despite being a vital route for "the missing middle"—households who earn too much for social rent but not enough for the open market.
Peter Hawley
MILTON KEYNES EVOLUTION Better by Design
Milton Keynes is undergoing a remarkable transformation from a post-war new town to a dynamic "Renewed Town." With plans for 60,000 new homes, a cutting-edge Mass Rapid Transit system, and a £15bn tech-driven economy, the city is setting a new standard for sustainable urban development in the UK.
Paul Thomas
RICS UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS Opening doors to the profession: Highlights from the 2025 RICS University Open Days
RICS recently opened its doors to the next generation of surveying professionals for its first-ever University Open Days. From interactive ethics sessions and "day in the life" talks to exclusive tours of the historic London headquarters, discover how this new initiative is helping students find their place within the global surveying community.
Danni Foster
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT The Procurement Act: A changing landscape
While councils have long established centralized procurement, contract management remains largely devolved. Natalia Silver explores the changing landscape, the impact of the Procurement Act, and how the Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) is driving value and culture change across local authorities.
Natalie Silver
HOUSING AND DEMOGRAPHICS Aligning housing strategy with demographic reality: A data-driven approach for local authorities
To meet the UK's goal of delivering 1.5 million homes, local authorities must move beyond simple numerical targets. By aligning housing delivery with demographic realities—such as the 33.8-year average age of first-time buyers and an ageing population—councils can create sustainable communities that support both economic growth and social wellbeing.
Chris Plumley
LGR AND PROPERTY The indispensable role of property in successful unitary authority reorganisation
Local Government Reform often focuses on finance and staffing, but sidelining property professionals early on is a critical mistake. Discover why property experts are the foundational strategic partners needed to turn ambitious unitary authority plans into realistic, financially sound realities.
Neil Webster and Chris Gill
INVESTMENT ASSETS Stalemate: Despite holding over £40bn in property assets local authorities are having to think several moves ahead
Local authorities currently control over £41bn in property assets, but high borrowing costs and geographic restrictions have brought new acquisitions to a standstill. As LGPS pooling nears completion and market sentiment improves, we look at why the "stalemate" in regional offices and shopping centers may finally break in late 2026.
Iain Mulvey
ASSET VALUATION UPDATE Changes in the CIPFA/LASAAC approach to asset revaluation
The long-standing approach to local authority asset revaluation is facing its biggest shift in years. As CIPFA/LASAAC moves from viewing indices as optional tools to making indexation effectively mandatory, valuers and accountants must now navigate new requirements for quinquennial cycles, desktop revaluations, and the challenges of selecting appropriate indices.
Chris Brain
PFI EXPIRY What local authority surveyors need to know
With over 500 PFI contracts set to expire by 2050, local authority surveyors face a critical window for managing asset handback. Learn why planning must begin seven years in advance and how comprehensive condition surveys protect the public sector from significant financial and operational risks.
Melanie Pears and Maddy Byron
HOUSING AND SPATIAL DATA From sites to insights: the case for a geospatial approach to understand London’s housing future
As London prepares for the 2026 London Plan, Knight Frank analyst Kat Rowland examines the feasibility of building 880,000 homes. Discover the challenges of fragmented planning data and how geospatial insights are uncovering the "big picture" of housing delivery, connectivity, and Green Belt impact.
Katharine Rowland
BUILD TO RENT Navigating the Build to Rent Landscape: reflections and the road ahead
As Build to Rent moves from a niche market to a vital housing solution, the sector faces a landscape of legislative clarity in England and strategic reversals in Scotland. This article examines the critical need for public-private collaboration to unlock the 64,000 consented homes currently stalled in the UK pipeline.
Alex McKinlay
HEALTHY LIVING HUBS Housing, care, and community under one roof
Regen Partner’s Healthy Living Hub model offers a sustainable solution to the UK housing and social care crisis. By combining multi-generational extra care housing with wellness facilities, this model helps councils reduce hospital admissions and social care bills while protecting public capital.
Mark Gowdridge
PLANNING REFORM Will it work?
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?.
Clare Jones and Madison Thomas
BUSINESS RATES The 2026 Revaluation – What’s happening?
With the 2026 Rating List approaching, property professionals must prepare for significant shifts in business rates. From a 19.2% increase in total Rating List value to new multipliers for the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors, Chris Grose provides a comprehensive rundown of the upcoming implications for both public and private sector bodies.
Chris Grose
UNLOCKING THE PUBLIC ESTATE The practical next steps for councils in 2026 – and the role government and sector bodies can play
Councils are facing a "crowded list of priorities" as they balance severe funding pressures with national mandates for housing and net zero. This summary of the 2026 "Unlocking the Public Estate" report explores practical steps for local authorities to transform their portfolios despite limited capacity and data gaps.
Guy Brett
UNLOCKING VIABILITY Why early collaboration matters more than ever
With residential housing delivery at its lowest point in years and a "crisis" declared in London, unlocking stalled schemes requires more than just meeting policy. Expert Anneka Lewis explores why early collaboration between developers, Registered Providers, and specialists is essential to bridge the viability gap and ensure schemes are both deliverable and manageable in a challenging 2026 market.
Anneka Lewis
BUILDING SAFETY LEVY Who pays for building safety?
Due to take effect in October 2026, the Building Safety Levy (BSL) introduces new costs for residential developers across England. From local authority rates to the "triple challenge" facing high-rise schemes, Chris Hemmings examines how this levy—combined with second staircase requirements—impacts development viability and the government’s housing targets.
Chris Hemmings
LGR AND ASSET TRANSFER Finding the right home for the right asset in the right way
Drawing from 16 years of experience at Cornwall Council, Adam Birchall explores the complexities of asset transfer during Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). He challenges the idea of simply "speeding up" devolution, advocating instead for a mutual, two-way process of trust that aligns property assets with community needs.
Adam Birchall
LGR and DEVOLUTION Can it help unlock more new homes and critical regeneration and infrastructure projects in our centres?
The landscape of local government in England is undergoing its most ambitious reorganization in over 30 years. With the introduction of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, new Strategic Authorities are set to gain autonomy over planning, transport, and housing. Through case studies in Hartlepool and Stockport, we examine whether these new powers and funding structures can truly accelerate urban regeneration and solve regional disparities.
Steve Norris and Chris Ives
LAND USE ISSUES Land use in changing times
As the UK faces competing demands for housing, energy, and nature, land is becoming our most finite resource. Jeremy Moody, Secretary of the CAAV, explores the "extraordinary" policy shifts—from "Grey Belt" development to the 30x30 nature commitment—that are reshaping the British landscape and challenging traditional farming.
Jeremy Moody
BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN BNG from a local government perspective
Explore the evolving landscape of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and natural capital from a local government perspective. This article outlines legal structures, the shift toward conservation covenants, and the unique opportunities for local authorities in habitat restoration and nutrient neutrality.
Adam Corbin
TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION CRISIS Tackling the temporary accommodation crisis
Council spending on temporary accommodation has soared to £2.8bn annually, leaving many local authorities under immense financial strain. Kim Grievson and Hannah Velani explore the human and economic costs of this crisis and highlight innovative modular and "eco pod" solutions being pioneered across the UK.
Kim Grievson and Hannah Velani
LGR and PLAN-MAKING Expediting plan-making and local government reorganisation
Fewer than 40% of local planning authorities have up-to-date plans. As the government pushes for faster plan-making alongside local government reorganisation, Nick Diment examines if these two objectives can be reconciled without compromising quality.
Nick Diment
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