What does the future for public-private collaboration in the built environment look like?

Back in September, we co-hosted a discussion at the Annual Labour Party Conference, bringing together senior leaders from across the industry to debate this question. It is timely to reflect on the conversation, given a lot of what we talked about was revisited in last week’s Autumn Budget.

The consensus around the table was that planning is a central issue, not the central issue, but that reforms are crucial to achieving the Government’s national renewal agenda. The conference echoed this sentiment, emphasising the need for better collaboration between the private sector and MPs. The Government’s openness to this collaboration was evident at Conference and was further evidenced in the Autumn budget, which was centred around restoring economic stability, increasing investment and building significant new infrastructure across the country.

The urgent appointment of an investment minister was deemed critical and since Conference, Poppy Gustafsson OBE has taken up the role of Minister of State (Minister for Investment) for both the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury.

Consistent, long-term funding for councils was a major topic in Liverpool, and there was a call to end the competition for small funding pots—a call that has reverberated across the industry and one that has thankfully been reflected in the budget. The Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund set up to improve public services combined with the extension to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and devolved funding streams should provide much needed stability to local growth.

In Liverpool, Jim McMahon, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government bolstered our confidence in the Government’s commitment to collaboration with local government. The success of Metropolitan Mayors in fostering collaboration was noted, perhaps there’s a potential model for private sector involvement. Their standing received a welcome further boost in the chancellor’s statement.

Stability and predictability were repeatedly stressed as essential in our discussion, and whilst the Budget was positioned as an end to short termism, further measures are essential to create the stability investors will need.

Standardising procurement processes to enhance efficiency and service was also discussed. Innovation in the housing sector needs encouragement, as the system is not set up for alternative methods of delivery or SMEs. The addition of 300 planners was seen as insufficient, highlighting the need for more resources across local councils. While the new towns program is a positive long-term plan, existing towns also require regeneration, new towns can only be one part of a wider strategy for housing delivery.

How a new neighbourhood can come together with the right collaboration between local government and private sector partners is demonstrated at Paradise Birmingham and Royal Wharf, in East London.

We look forward to continuing the discussion and collaborating with this Government as now is the time for the private sector to take a leading role.

Thanks to ING Media and everyone who joined the disccussion:

• Dav Bansal, Partner, Howells
• Sophie Bevan, Director of Regeneration, Liverpool City Council
• Caroline Compton-James, Deputy Chief Executive, SCAPE
• Mike D'Ath, Partner, HTA Design
• Grainne Gilmore, Head of Research , Cluttons
• Richard Grocott, Acquisitions Manager, Grainger plc
• Jessica Hardman, President, British Property Federation
• Melanie Leech, Chief Executive, British Property Federation
• Jason Longhurst, UK Head of Sustainable Investment & Partnerships, Prologis
• David Morris, Development Director, Royal London Asset Management
• Lucie Murray, Senior Cities Strategist, ING Media
• Joanne Roney, Managing Director, Birmingham City Council
• Katharine Saunders, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
• Robert Sloss, CEO, HUB
• Stevan Tennant, Development Director, Ballymore
• Paul Weston, SVP Regional Head UK, Prologis
• Damian Wild, Managing Director, ING Media