Leaders from housing, local government, and infrastructure discuss breaking down silos through shared estates, joint funding, and integrated delivery.

Delivering public sector capital programmes is increasingly challenging, with skills shortages, rising costs, and complex delivery environments putting pressure on traditional approaches. This session explores how new delivery models, alliancing, and industrialised construction can help close capability gaps and enable faster, more resilient delivery. Panellists will discuss how organisations can work differently to achieve better outcomes.

Although our centres face unprecedented challenges as traditional retail models decline, they remain critical economic and social assets, and the most sustainable locations for new homes and infrastructure. This session examines how public and private sector partners can work together to develop coordinated visions and approaches that align investment and delivery with local needs. We will explore practical methods for understanding community & stakeholder requirements, where tensions exist, how different funding mechanisms can enable &/or constrain collaborative working, and what governance structures support effective partnerships. We will identify common barriers to alignment and discuss what skills, ways of working and processes are needed to move from parallel agendas to genuinely joined-up place-based visions and strategies focussed on delivering viable new homes, education, healthcare, community, civic and wider commercial uses.

From Super Sewer to Super Spaces: How imaginative design can turn functional infrastructure into wonderful public realm
The Thames Tideway Tunnel is one of the UK’s most ambitious infrastructure projects - a 25km “super sewer” safeguarding London’s river for generations. Yet its legacy extends far beyond engineering. A unique collaboration between engineers, architects and artists has reimagined functional assets as vibrant public spaces, setting a benchmark for how infrastructure can enrich urban life. Attendees will gain insight into practical strategies for delivering imaginative design within complex, regulated projects - balancing cost, safety, and creativity. The session will highlight lessons transferable to other public sector estates: how to turn “hard” infrastructure into inclusive, inspiring environments that foster civic pride.

Using AI, data and technology to drive investment, manage assets more efficiently and make smarter estate decisions

More details to follow

This session will explore the evolving role of development corporations within the wider landscape of local government reform, bringing together perspectives from across combined authorities, local councils, and advisory.