As the dust settles after an epic UK election, UKREiiF has gathered opinions from key figures across the UK’s built environment sector to answer a simple question: ‘What is your ask of this new government?’. We gathered the thoughts of experts from various sectors, including housing, construction, investment, logistics, and more, for their take on what the new government should prioritise. As you will see, there’s some keen insight into the current predicaments and what the remedies might be, shedding light on the critical issues and potential solutions for our industry.

“We need a fundamental reset of the partnership between the property sector and the next government. As the BPF’s manifesto ‘Building our Future’ sets out, only by working together in partnership will we unlock the billions of pounds of new investment needed to drive economic growth and productivity, build more homes, renew our town centres, and create the green economy that will deliver the country’s net zero commitments.” – Melanie Leech CBE, Chief Executive, British Property Federation.

“Policy makers should look to countries like Singapore, where it has successfully pitched national value to institutional investors with its Singapore Economic Board or Ireland’s Development Agency model. A laser focus on the key sectors and asset classes that will drive future competitiveness and growth to attract private capital is required. The real estate sector is a significant contributor to the overall success of the UK economy, directly employing more than 1.2 million people and contributing circa £100 billion to the UK economy every year (around 7% of the total). We need a fairer and simpler system that doesn’t actively work against the viability of thousands of projects.” – Martin Towns, Deputy Global Head, M&G Real Estate.

“Keir Starmer should hold a COBRA meeting to deal with the housing crisis if he becomes prime minister after Thursday’s election. COBRA meetings are typically convened to handle matters of national emergency or major disruption, helping coordinate different departments and agencies in their response.” – Emma Cariaga, Co-Head, British Land’s Canada Water Scheme

“During the first 100 days, we expect to see enablement for such allocations of capital via continued pensions reform, which will allow for accrued benefits to be shared with corporate sponsors should schemes run on versus a move to an insurance buyout. We anticipate further movement on the cost disclosure issues in the Investment Trust Sector and we hope to see more incentives for long-term savers. We’d like to see corporates and trustees empowered and incentivised to diversify pension asset allocation into a wider range of equities and alternative assets within an appropriate risk framework. Along with the investment management industry being encouraged by Government to develop products and vehicles to provide access to private markets to long-term savers.” – Nalaka De Silva, Head of Private Market Solutions, abrdn.

“As we look ahead, our key asks from the new government are clear and crucial for driving significant growth and development. First and foremost, planning reform needs to be at the top of the Government’s agenda. Streamlining the planning process and reducing delays are essential to enable sustainable growth within our sector. Achieving such a large majority grants the Government a great opportunity to implement real change through substantial policy reform. Therefore, we urge the new Government to provide a detailed and actionable policy framework that offers clarity and certainty for the construction industry. We look forward to engaging with the Labour Party to fulfil these policy proposals and ensure our industry is at the forefront of UK growth.” – Mia Silverfield, Parliamentary Affairs and Communications Executive, National Federation of Builders.

“Investors need accurate, clear and useful information to make good decisions, but under current rules they are still being supplied with misleading disclosures that double-count costs. We are calling on the new government to act swiftly to resolve these issues and I will be writing to the new Economic Secretary as soon as they are appointed.” – Richard Stone, Chief Executive, Association of Investment Companies (AIC)

“A new Labour government means we need to move beyond pledges and platitudes, less about the ‘ask’ more about what we are going to deliver and form new partnerships. UK Business Council for Sustainable Development (UKBCSD) would seek to bring the public private partnerships that bolster the UK’s transition towards a sustainable economy, in line with the ambitions of the new UK Labour Government. Ensuring we have a comprehensive Sustainable Industrial Plan, that aligns seamlessly with the government’s commitment to unlock a Green Industrial Revolution, one that drives economic growth on a foundation of environmental responsibility and social equity. That would allow us to play on the world stage, complement initiatives like RIA in the USA and demonstrate ‘sustainability’ adds value, economically, socially and environmentally. The offer is to invest and deliver against a comprehensive plan, delivering the UK’s Green Industrial Revolution, to create employment opportunities within the renewable energy sector and critical infrastructure advancements that underpin a high growth economy. We need to partner with government on a circular economy approach that enhances resource efficiency, addresses energy security, and maximises innovation throughout the nation’s industries. Public private partnership that unlocks investable opportunities must be core to our new government’s focus, not siloed just on investment institutions or blinkered single agenda items. We need a government that moves from a deficit mentality to one that encourages and rewards growth, enables a new sustainability sector to play on the global stage.” – Jason Longhurst, Chair, UK Business Council for Sustainable Development.

“Warehousing and logistics underpins the growth agenda of the new Government, yet the eight most critical policy reforms we need – as set out in UKWA’s Election Manifesto – are spread across eight separate government departments! We can only thrive under a more joined up Government, so UKWA is calling for the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer to appoint a dedicated cross-departmental Logistics Minister who will champion the needs of our sector. Our manifesto also calls for overdue reform to business rates and urgent improvements to the planning system, as well as highlighting the untapped potential of solar power on warehouse rooftops. UKWA looks forward to engaging with the new Government: we are the voice of our 1,000 member companies.” – Clare Bottle, CEO, UK Warehousing Association.

“According to statistics from the Resolution Foundation, housing costs now represent a significant and growing portion of household expenditure, with the average private renter dedicating approximately a third (33.8%) of their income to housing costs. Those on median incomes and below – primarily our key workers – have been disproportionately affected by the escalating costs. These workers are critical to the success of the country but are left struggling to afford to live within a reasonable commute of their workplace. Without intervention from the next government, cities like London could face an exodus of key workers. There is also the potential for increasing numbers of households to find themselves experiencing homelessness and so increase the temporary accommodation burden on local authorities as well as experience the negative social impacts of homelessness.” – Olivia Harris, Chief Executive, Dolphin Living.

“Real estate fund managers need three things: legal, regulatory, governmental and political stability; a proper fix for the broken planning system, with more binding local plans and better-resourced planning departments; and a more comprehensive solution to unlock the vast and growing pool of defined contribution pension schemes – because at the moment it’s too difficult for them to invest in real estate.” – Paul Richards, Chief Executive, Association of Real Estate Funds.

“The housing market is utterly broken. And to tackle it the new PM will need to go onto something of a war footing. Increasingly there is a consensus in the property industry – even among the most market-facing of us – that there is no alternative to a wholesale return to building some form of council housing. Even if you call it something else. We need radical measures to ramp up the supply of new homes, particularly affordable homes.” – Jackie Sadek, Director, Urban Strategy and Co-Author of Broken Homes.

“Labour must use its mandate to ensure older people are no longer the forgotten part of the policy debate, particularly when it comes to housing and care. The UK needs a revolution in its delivery of high-quality housing suitable for its ageing population, be it more bungalows, retirement communities, better care options or incentives to downsize.” – John Tonkiss, CEO, McCarthy Stone

“We look forward to working with the new Labour Government to support them in achieving the delivery of 1.5 million new homes, whilst driving economic growth nationally. We are optimistic that with the new Government in place, now is the time to move forward with implementing measures to improve standards for the 5m+ rental households across the UK, creating a better experience for renters, whilst supporting landlords, and encouraging investment into more much needed high quality rental homes.” – Helen Gordon, CEO, Grainger PLC.

“Investors, homebuilders and homebuyers will welcome the Labour focus on building new houses. There is a huge and growing structural deficit in housing supply, which some estimates put at two million homes. I hope that Labour will look at encouraging as much private investment as possible to create an attractive environment for the vast capital requirements needed to finance home delivery. In our view, SME homebuilders have significant untapped capacity. This is where Zenzic Capital focuses and we are dedicated to supporting the next generation of SME homebuilders.” – Tom Lloyd-Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Zenzic Capital.

So, there you go. The great and the good from across the UK built environment sector has made it clear they have high hopes and clear expectations for the new government, and want these priorities addressed to drive economic growth, improve housing and infrastructure, and ensure a sustainable future for the UK. Many of them will be at UKREiiF in 2025. Join the conversation.

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