Podcasts
Day 1
When the traditional blueprints for BTR and housing for sale no longer aligning with economic reality, the industry must look to new models and partnerships beyond the balance sheet. Today, the most valuable asset in a developer's toolkit isn’t just land or capital, it’s the ability to flex and pivot to find the opportunities amongst the challenges.
In this episode, Helen Collins explores the move toward embedding partnership models. As project feasibility becomes a moving target, Avison Young is seeing a new trend: regional experts joining forces to breathe life into stalled opportunities. We discuss how these collaborative ecosystems are rewriting the rules of delivery, ensuring that vital housing projects move from the drawing board to the community.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Avison Young.
In major urban regeneration, the "perfect" masterplan on day one is rarely the right one by the time the final phase completes. While location provides the foundation, it is strategic agility that ensures a development remains relevant across decades of shifting market cycles and evolving human behaviour.
In this episode, we sit down with Dan Westley, Head of Portfolio at Vastint UK, to discuss the delicate balance between long-term conviction and the flexibility to pivot. Drawing on Vastint’s major UK schemes, including Sugar House Island in London, Aire Park in Leeds, and Cardiff Embankment, we’ll explore why successful regeneration is no longer about delivering static real estate, but about curating resilient places that can absorb change.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Vastint.
For today’s occupiers, a building is only as good as its heartbeat: the digital connectivity that keeps their business alive.
In this episode, we sit down with Elevate to explore how they are redefining the relationship between landlords, agents, and occupiers. We move past the traditional "four-month wait" for fibre and look at how smart infrastructure, like London’s innovative rooftop wireless networks, is creating zero-risk connectivity through "Ground to Cloud" resiliency.
We’ll dive into the story of the Preconnect® model, a partnership-led approach that removes the headache of individual installations and learn more about the Wayleave agreements that enable landlords to offer "moving-in ready" connectivity, a powerful lever for occupancy and asset value. Join us as we discuss why the future of the smart building isn't just about the hidden digital backbone or the cables in the walls, but the partnerships that ensure a occupier's first day in a new office is their most productive one.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Elevate.
The British workplace is reaching a tipping point where a building's carbon footprint is becoming as critical as its postcode. As the divide between high-spec green spaces and ageing "legacy" offices widens, a massive national mission is underway to transform yesterday’s concrete into tomorrow’s essential assets. Delivery depends on partners with the reach and financial innovation to turn that ambition into action. Joined by Lloyds, we explore the high-stakes reality of retrofitting the UK’s regional skylines and the market-leading debt distribution capability required to bridge the gap. Drawing on regional expertise, we discuss how the shift toward sustainable workspace is powering UK growth and redefining the map of commercial opportunity.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Lloyds.
This episode explores the intricate mechanics and strategic rewards of large-scale developments delivered through complex, multi-partner frameworks. Join Joanna Deffley (Partner at Shakespeare Martineau) and James Scott (Group Director Strategy & Planning at Urban & Civic) as we unpack the blueprint for managing significant expansions that define regional growth. We’ll delve into the "multi-partner offering," examining the critical balance between contractual control regulations and the collaborative synergy required to deliver multi-tenure homes at scale. The discussion highlights the shift toward infrastructure-led growth, where fully integrated green infrastructure and sustainable transit are woven into the master plan from day one. From navigating the inherent risks of long-term projects to seizing the strategic opportunities of a shifting planning landscape, this conversation reveals how diverse partners can align to turn ambitious housing targets into thriving, future-proof communities.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Shakespeare Martineau.
Day 2
Today, the most successful assets aren't just "green"; they are commercially resilient, high-performing spaces that occupiers actually want to inhabit.
In this episode, we sit down with Huw Davies, head of ESG at Jones Hargreaves, to challenge the traditional view of sustainability. Huw argues for a shift in language and mindset: moving away from the narrow lens of ESG toward the broader, more strategic framework of responsible investment.
We’ll explore why investors are no longer looking for minimal compliance, but for a clear return on their social and environmental capital. As occupiers demand more flexibility, better amenities and authentic placemaking, the buildings that thrive will be those that treat these demands as commercial opportunities rather than overhead costs.
Reflecting on recent projects, from the heritage-sensitive retrofitting of York’s historic assets to the delivery of high-spec ESG-led refurbishments in Central London, Huw shares how Jones Hargreaves is bridging the gap between "doing good" and "doing business”. This is a conversation about how the buildings of tomorrow are being built on the responsible investment decisions of today.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Jones Hargreaves.
Operational drag is the silent killer of asset value. For owners and asset managers, the challenge is clear: how do you deliver more with less, while meeting the rising demands of a multi-generational workforce? This podcast takes you inside the engine room of the UK’s most innovative properties.
Partnering with Locale, we examine how digitising the occupier journey, from seamless access to on-demand amenities, removes the friction that hinders productivity. We look at the data-driven insights that allow managers to optimise every stage of a building’s life. If you want to understand how to align your operational strategy with the evolving needs of your tenants to create a truly resilient portfolio, this is the conversation for you.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Locale.
Premier Inn provides 12% of the UK’s hotel accommodation stock – the highest of any hotel operator in any market in the world. This extraordinary success has been delivered through a continual 20-year expansion programme underpinned by a unique business model and flexible property requirements.
This April the company unveiled a new business strategy and five-year plan, focused on the continued expansion of Premier Inn, but with greater emphasis on recycling capital from the company’s largely freehold estate to fund future bedroom expansion. Greater emphasis is also being placed on leasehold opportunities to drive estate growth.
During UKREiIF, Derek Griffin, Whitbread’s acquisition head, will sit down with Tim Burke, editor at Estates Gazette, to discuss the principles of the new business strategy including how the company plans to go about recycling £1.5bn of property, where it is focusing its new growth, and the future for its popular hub by Premier Inn brand.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Whitbread.
In an era of rising urban density and acute housing pressure, leaving buildings dormant is no longer just an oversight. It is an unnecessary direct cost. Across the UK, public and private sector property owners and agents hold significant volumes of empty offices and underutilised assets, often without a clear, viable route to bring them back into use.
This episode explores how empty buildings can be repositioned from liability to strategic asset through practical, immediate solutions. Instead of focusing only on long-term redevelopment alone, we examine how intelligent interim use, through approaches such as property guardianship, can reduce holding costs, improve security, and activate buildings in real time.
Today, we will discuss what prevents assets from being used, where traditional models fall short, and how a more agile, operational approach can unlock both commercial value and social impact. This brings buildings, and the communities around them, back to life.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Global Guardians.
Regeneration is often discussed through the lens of city skylines and urban hubs, but the heart of a region’s success frequently lies in its towns and rural communities. In these areas, the challenges are unique: tackling hidden social deprivation, nurturing local talent, and creating a sense of "place" that encourages people to stay, grow, and invest their futures locally.
In this episode, we are joined by County Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby, Janine Nightingale, of Bridgend County Borough Council and James Brown from The Urbanists to explore rural and town centre revival. We dive into the Cardiff Capital Region’s guiding philosophy of Live, Work, and Thrive and what it actually takes to build a sustainable community where high-quality employment and a fulfilling lifestyle coexist.
Regeneration isn't something that should happen to a town; it’s a journey that must be travelled with its residents. From fostering deep community integration to enhancing the everyday quality of life, we explore how thoughtful placemaking can bridge the gap between social necessity and economic opportunity.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Cardiff Capital Region.
This podcast explores the urgent transformation of the UK high street, shifting the focus from declining retail to the untapped potential of health as a new asset class.
While there is near-universal agreement that bringing healthcare into town centres is a catalyst for both public wellbeing and economic regeneration, progress is often stalled by systemic friction and fragmented leadership. We’ll dive into the institutional barriers, from mismatched investment timescales to a risk-averse culture, that prevent the widespread development of Neighbourhood Health Hubs. We’ll also introduce the upcoming Health on the High Street Commission and highlight the plan to unblock planning and financial obstacles, positioning health as a resilient, long-term opportunity for real estate to diversify and repurpose stranded assets. By filling empty shopping centres with vital services, can we increase footfall, drive dynamic growth, and deliver wide-reaching societal benefits to the heart of our town centres?
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Stevens & Bolton.
Day 3
When it comes to town and city regeneration, the near-term challenges for developers are stark, but the need for action is pressing and the long-term benefits still clear. In the case of Kier Property, the role of master planner places it in a pivotal position to drive change and overcome challenges. In this podcast, Estates Gazette speaks with Kier managing director Leigh Thomas about the projects that prove what can be achieved, what our cities need more of – and less of – from the built environment, and the reset required in public-private partnerships.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Kier Property.
As the UK rental landscape undergoes its most significant transformation in a generation, the shift toward a professionalised "Living Sector" is creating a unique crossroads for landlords and investors. This episode will explore how the pressures of new legislation like the Renters’ Rights Act are opening doors for more resilient, de-risked assets. By looking past the regulatory noise, we uncover a story of how institutional-grade security and tenant financial well-being are becoming the twin engines driving the next era of property development and finance.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with RentGuarantor.
The UK is standing at the edge of a new urban frontier, fuelled by a government mandate to build the first "New Towns" of the 21st century. But between the political ambition and the first spade in the ground lies a high-stakes landscape of fragmented land ownership, staggering infrastructure costs, a myriad of stakeholders and the relentless pressure of long-term viability. This episode goes beyond the headlines to explore the "heavy lifting" required to develop a new community from scratch.
We’ll look at the strategic foundations and practical lessons relating other new town and new settlement projects to address common challenges. This is a deep dive into both consenting and delivery aspects, including the role of public-private partnerships and where funding must align perfectly with private sector momentum to bridge the viability gap. This episode will move past the dry legalities of planning to tackle the "infrastructure-first" mandate and the strategic art of creating an eco-system long before the first resident moves in.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Walker Morris.
Liverpool City Region has entered 2026 with a record £11bn pipeline and a 10-year mandate to expand the economy by a further £10bn. This is no longer a vision of what could be; it’s a roadmap for what is being built. In this episode, Simon Reid, Assistant Director of Business Growth, explains how the region's £2bn Investment Fund is fueling a new era of place-based funding. We’ll explore how the HMT Green Book revision is serving as a pilot to unlock major regeneration projects, including the transformative £5bn redevelopment of Liverpool Central Station and its vital role in Northern Powerhouse Rail. We’ll also hear about the emerging Mayoral Development Corporation, designed to remove planning friction and fast-track 17,500 new homes across the North Docks, anchored by the new Everton FC stadium and Kings Dock schemes. Join us as we discover how innovation-led growth is positioning Liverpool as the UK’s frontline for institutional capital.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
Ahead of this year's UKREiiF conference, the team at Holistic Insight surveyed almost 10,000 attendees to gauge sentiment in the UK's real estate sector.
In this podcast, Sophie Eastwood and Nicola Hanser of Holistic Insight tell Estates Gazette editor Tim Burke about the findings - and why such a snapshot is so important in tracking where the next deals and opportunities will come from.
Listen to the full podcast here.
In partnership with Holistic Insight.
Podcast speakers