With a general election on the horizon, there are big questions to answer about the future of UK housing policy. We are bringing together panels of housing authorities, developers, homebuilders, and more to highlight the challenges facing the residential sector – and how we can overcome them.

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Place RESI will take place starting at 8am on 19 October at Manchester Hall (36 Bridge Street, Manchester). The event is sponsored by WSP, Trowers & Hamlins, ClearFibre, Placefirst, Northstone, Harris Associates, and Onward Homes.

Expect a series of dynamic panel discussions as well as the networking opportunities we know are important for your business. In addition to the pre-panel breakfast, you can also expect breaks in between sessions and a post-panel lunch.

What you’ll take away from the conference

• Insight into the priorities for housing delivery in Manchester and Liverpool from the Leaders of the two cities
• An understanding of where BTR, affordable housing, senior living, and large housing estates fit into the current market
• Intel regarding the key political arguments and strategies facing housing policy ahead of the 2024 election
• An overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the resi sector in the North West
• New contacts for your business

Confirmed speakers

Cllr Bev Craig is Leader of Manchester City Council. Since taking on the top city council position last year, Craig has made the delivery of affordable housing a priority for Manchester. She is focused on building a more inclusive and sustainable economy for the city. Manchester City Council is currently working on multiple large-scale regeneration projects in Wythenshawe, East Manchester, Strangeways, and Victoria North.

Cllr Liam Robinson is Leader of Liverpool City Council. Robinson has an ambitious agenda for the future of Liverpool. He is committed to making the city greener, using sustainable growth to create jobs, and embracing innovation to improve city council services. Liverpool City Council is actively developing its vision for the 1,500-home Festival Gardens in South Liverpool.

Cllr Mark Hunter is Leader of Stockport Council. A Liberal Democrat and former Cheadle MP, Hunter has been advocating for Stockport on a local and national stage since 1996. As Leader of the council, he is working on the development of the Stockport Local Plan and the council’s ambitious 1,000-home Stockport 8 project. With his experience at Westminster and local council chambers, Hunter will bring a unique perspective to our debate on national housing policy at Place RESI.

Caroline Baker is the managing partner for the North West at Cushman & Wakefield. She is a specialist in advising public sector clients on strategy and development, especially when it comes to the residential market. She has worked on city living, affordable housing, estate regeneration, and unlocking brownfield sites – all of which makes her an ideal panelist on our debate on the future of national housing policy.

Giles Beswick is a director at developers Select Property and Vita Group. Select and Vita support buildings throughout the entirety of their investment cycle, with expertise in developing and building projects, as well as sourcing funding and marketing strategies. Beswick has played an integral role in establishing Affinity Living and One Port Street. He will be speaking about the changing world of city-centre living.

Anthony Breach is a senior analyst for the think tank Centre for Cities. Breach works as part of the research team at Centre for Cities, where he focuses on housing and planning. He is also the co-author of the think tank’s most recent report: The Housebuilding Crisis: The UK’s Four Million Missing Homes. Breach will bring this expertise to our debate on national housing policy.

Hannah Flory is a design manager of architecture at housebuilder Northstone, part of Peel L&P. Northstone has robust plans for the North West, seeking to develop more than 100 homes in Atherton, 208 homes in Bolton, and 50 in Edenfield. Flory has been the project architect for a number of these neighbourhood projects. As part of the design team, she works on crafting Northstone’s sustainable house types as well as finding new sites for development.

Shaun Harris is managing director and owner of chartered building surveyor Harris Associates. Harris is an expert in fire safety and risk management, which in the post-Grenfell world is of even more importance. Harris will use his background in providing advisory, compliance, and project-led services to provide a different viewpoint on the obstacles facing housing delivery – and how we can overcome them.

Catherine Holmes is head of cities and major conurbations at Homes England. Her work takes her throughout the North West, as she further Homes England’s mission of supporting the delivery of new, sustainable homes and regenerating communities. Homes England involvement can be a game-changer for a project. Holmes will share the agency’s mindset when it comes to partnering on a project as well as its ambitions for the future.

Darran Lawless is a development director at BTR provider Placefirst. He is responsible for driving UK growth for the company and overseeing the build-to-rent provider’s newest developments. Expect to hear Lawless discuss BTR’s role outside of city centres, including towns like Morecambe, Accrington, and Bolton.

Sandy Livingstone is the executive director of property at housing association Onward Homes. Livingstone is in charge of delivering Onward’s development programme of 5,000 new homes by 2030, as well as the housing association’s £100m retrofit programme. He will discuss the challenges of delivering affordable housing in cities, as well as the importance of creating intergenerational and diverse communities.

Paul Smith is the managing director of land promotion company The Strategic Land Group. Smith is a housing policy thought leader, having helped Strategic Land Group grow into one of the most successful residential and renewable energy land promoters in the country. He is also a director of the Land, Planning, and Development Federation. He will draw from his expertise in planning to provide a nuanced point of view at our debate on national housing policy.

Book your ticket today by using the form below.

If you cannot see the form, please contact events@placenorthwest.co.uk.