Event Summary
Place RESI | Summary + photos
30 October 2025 10:50
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The public and private sectors converged on Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on 23 October to dig into how we deliver the right homes in the right places in the right way.
Conversations at Place RESI delved into new towns, planning reform, Green Book changes, market demand, and senior living – with the looming thread of navigating viability struggles throughout.
Those attending were invited to not just sit and listen – but to contribute to the discussion as well. They pitched their questions and also shared their own thoughts on the best way for government to hit its 1.5m homes target.
Read on for a general overview of the event, as well as a photo gallery.
Place RESI was sponsored by WSP, Onward Homes, Close Brothers Property Finance, Allsop, and Trowers & Hamlins. It was chaired by Place North West editor Julia Hatmaker.
Expert Speakers
- Tom Stannard, chief executive of Manchester City Council
- Cllr Nick Mannion, Leader of Cheshire East Council
- Jamie Adam, national director of Savills’ Residential Investor Hub and head of residential development sales in the North
- Caroline Baker, managing partner for the North West at Cushman and Wakefield
- Leanne Beirne, director at BTP Architects
- David Chilton, chief executive of Rowlinson
- Dr Mark Hammond, senior lecturer and deputy research lead at Manchester School of Architecture, part of Manchester Metropolitan University
- Joanne Parr, director of property finance at Close Brothers Property Finance
- Vanessa Rowell, associate planner at WSP
- Steve Skelton, associate director of housing and planning at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
- Cllr Mark Smith, cabinet member for economy and the built environment at Blackpool Council
- Jo Volpe, chief executive of the Leeds Older People’s Forum and chair of AgeUK Bradford District
- Jack Widdup, development director at McLaren Living
New towns
- Funding is absolutely critical for the government’s proposed new towns and urban extensions
- Cushman and Wakefield’s Caroline Baker discussed the importance of the government providing support when it comes to land remediation and social infrastructure when it comes to new towns – and not expecting the private sector to deliver it all
- Cheshire East Council Leader Cllr Mannion said he found out about Adlington through a phone call from the BBC while on holiday. He stressed the need to ensure that communities are properly engaged with new towns and contribute to their creation
- Manchester City Council’s Tom Stannard added financial assistance from the government for Victoria North will allow the local authority to pour more resources into other projects around the city – thus delivering even more homes and communities
Cheshire East Leader Cllr Nick Mannion, Manchester City Council chief executive Tom Stannard, and Blackpool Council Cllr Mike Smith were on the first panel, alongside Cushman and Wakefield’s Caroline Baker. Credit: PNW
Mixed reviews for government
- When it came to those in the room, optimism was not the name of the game. Housing secretary Steve Reed had said days before that his job should be evaluated based on whether he achieved his 1.5m homes target by 2029. When asked if Reed would have a job in 2030, not one single hand was raised
- Adding to the pessimism was another question to the audience, this one asking which political party was best placed to deliver for the property sector. There were a few hands for Labour, but the rest remained firmly down when it came to Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Reform. Nearly every hand was raised when it came to thinking that none of the parties were placed to deliver
- The panels themselves were more optimistic, with praise for the proposed Green Book reform, where the Treasury will be looking at place-based assessments rather than letting benefit-cost ratios dominate decision-making. Liverpool Central has been chosen as one of the pilot projects for that initiative
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Steve Skelton added that place-based assessments will help the government resist focusing exclusively on housing numbers by widening its focus to look at long-term social and economic benefits.
- More praise was added for the government’s push to designate part of the current Green Belt as grey belt, and thereby opening up to possible development. WSP’s Vanessa Rowell described the move as a “game-changer”, noting that 80% of grey belt appeals had been approved by the Planning Inspectorate
‘The worst thing is to hit the target but to build homes in the wrong places and in the wrong way.’ Steve Skelton
Delivering for the most vulnerable
- The definition of “affordable” is broken, argued Mannion, pointing that in communities like Wilmslow or Macclesfield, a discount on market rate homes is still out of reach for many. He advocated for the government to redefine the term in a way that actually helps those in need – particularly the 12,000 on his housing waiting list
- Stannard spoke about the importance of building social rent into a place strategy from the get-go, as well as having social value baked into a procurement strategy
- It is vital to consult with communities and bring them on board with the process – rather than simply assuming what they want. Blackpool Council Cllr Mark Smith shared how the local authority made sure to give original residents a chance to return to a regenerated area, allowing them to benefit from improvements rather than feel pushed out
- Baker added that social value is becoming more and more important for developers as they start looking to hold onto their stock for a longer period of time, therefore establishing a long-term interest in the area. This transforms social value and wider community benefits from a tick box exercise to good business sense
- When thinking about these projects, the panel advocated for people to remember that these communities are meant to be lived in. They all pushed for a focus on green infrastructure and community space
The second panel of the day included WSP’s Vanessa Rowell, McLaren Living’s Jack Widdup, Close Brothers Property Finance’s Joanne Parr, and Savills’ Jamie Adam. Credit: PNW
Housing hang ups and overview
- Savills’ Jamie Adam delivered a presentation spotlighting the latest statistics around the UK’s housing market – showing the strength of student accommodation, build-to-rent, and senior living sectors
- McLaren Living’s Jack Widdup spoke about how the build-to-rent sector is thriving in Manchester, noting that this could be the firs year where the North has more investment in the BTR sector than London
- While the government has been focussed on housing supply, Adam made the argument that it should also consider helping the market, which is struggling and needs some stimulation. Close Brothers Property Finance’s Joanne Parr agreed, adding that this was very much needed to help SME housebuilders deliver
- Stamp Duty reductions or a return of the Help to Buy programme were recommended by Widdup
- Parr spoke about the problems SME housebuilders face when trying to supply biodiversity net gain, while also navigating multiple other new regulations
- More help is needed for SMEs, who used to be the backbone of housing delivery but are now struggling to make projects stack up
‘If we have a lot of delivery and we don’t have the market to absorb it, that’s a problem. Developers will not build houses unless they feel they can sell them.’ Jamie Adam
Advice to government on achieving its housing goals
From the speakers
- Cushman and Wakefield’s Baker advocated for greater certainty from government – meaning less changes to policy and regulations. McLaren Living’s Widdup agreed, pushing for “less legislative tinkering” and more “cold, hard cash”
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Skelton recommended giving combined authorities more say over public sector infrastructure, so that the services required can be put in place to support future residents
- Blackpool Council’s Smith made the case for more funding to help resolve the viability gap, therefore ensuring more houses can be delivered in the North. Manchester City Council’s Stannard and Close Brothers Property Finance’s Parr echoed Smith’s comments, with both saying viability was the largest problem facing delivery
- Cheshire East’s Mannion suggested standardising the Section 106 process, thereby reducing time spent by lawyers on both ends. He also pushed for a reduction in the standard commencement times to ensure developers get on site quickly
- WSP’s Rowell advocated for an increase in resources for local planning authorities, to enable them to process planning applications more quickly
- Savills’ Adam put forward the idea that the government needs to focus on how to address issues in the market itself by alleviating the pressures first-time buyers experience
From the audience
- Deliver affordable housing by enlarging ring-fenced Homes England and combined authority grants, providing these to registered providers rather than expecting the funds to come from private developers and Section 106 agreements
- Government needs to tell developers to build simple, quality homes that are fit for people and nature – and not waste money on things that aren’t needed
- Provide demand-side stimulus, such as revising Stamp Duty and bringing back Help to Buy
- Increase training for councillors on planning committees so they do not defer or reject applications for nonsense reasons
- Link the provision of quality housing savings to the NHS and inject enough money to fund a massive wave of new social housing
- Develop facilities first, ending the cycle where developers kick services and infrastructure fo the end of the development. Communities are more willing to support new development if there are some tangible improvements as well
- Give planning officers more power to consent schemes without consultee responses and where planning committees cannot reach a consensus
- Engage with developers of all sizes to truly understand the pain points
- Develop a semi-automated zonal planning system which “presets” the priorities and principle of development as part of the electoral cycle, rather than being fought at application stage
- Make planning consultees respond within 21 days
The final panel of the day included Rowlinson’s David Chilton, Leeds Older People’s Forum’s Jo Volpe, Manchester School of Architecture’s Mark Hammond, and BTP Architects’ Leanne Beirne. Credit: PNW
Ageing populations
- The final panel of the day dug into how to provide housing for the UK’s ageing population, noting that the number of people aged 65 and older in England is set to increase by 3.3m in the next 20 years.
- Rowlinson’s David Chilton spoke about the difficulty delivering these projects, which, while in demand, have substantial viability gaps
- Challenged to think of a “pie in the sky” idea on how to address the need for senior living, Chilton suggested making later living housing a piece of critical infrastructure, which would allow it to be built without the planning process – this would help everyone benefit from the upsurge in delivery
- Manchester School of Architecture’s Mark Hammond insisted that a one size fits all approach does not work for senior living – there needs to be a variety of types and tenures to suit a very diverse group of people who have their own needs and desires – just like their younger counterparts do
- Urban centres are great places to put senior living, with Leeds Older People’s Forum’s Jo Volpe discussing the benefits they offer in terms of transport links, access to services, as well as things to do. She noted that seniors often have disposable income, making them appealing residents for urban economies
- BTP Architect’s Leanne Beirne pointed to Singapore as a country to learn from when it comes to this sector, highlighting its intergenerational developments
Tips for ensuring communities and new towns are age-friendly
From the speakers
- Hammond pushed for having senior living factored into projects from the start, not as some “special element” but as a vital part of strategic regeneration frameworks and development frameworks
- Beirne advocated for taking the time to get social interaction right when designing these communities, and offering opportunities for people to age in place rather than having to leave their home towns
- Volpe emphasised the need to properly listen to the voices of old people – and to also make transport a key focus of any initiative
- Chilton suggested that providing support for delivery of non-income generating space, such as public realm, would be transformative for these projects
From the audience
- Reform legislation to ensure service charges can be monitored by a separate body to the managing agent, so the more vulnerable can’t be taken advantage of financially
- Facilitate international conversations as part of a consultation process
- Instil design criteria on all development to ensure it is age-friendly – providing social and public transport infrastructure with proximity to services, amenities, and green space
- Don’t build senior living schemes that meet a financial model – instead recognise what families want: preservation of household wealth, supporting the income of their older relatives, and accommodation which mitigates against care events and loneliness. A “free space” let to rent model is the most appropriate solution
- Instead of focusing on retirement living and extra care facilities, allow people to stay in their homes
- Integrate all ages within individual developments to encourage community, rather than segregating developments by demographic/target market
What’s Next?
13 November | Life Sciences Update 2025
20 November | Place Young Things
27 November | NorthFold: Delivering growth across Wigan and Bolton
Gallery
Click any image to launch gallery.
