Recent Updates

The ARL Reverse Trade Shows are unique to the BTR sector – enabling participating suppliers to secure quality appointments with key operators, delivering high closing rates through scheduled meetings.

Tuesday 15th July, 9am – 11am

This event guarantees meetings with at least 3 of your chosen major purchasers/operators for pre-booked 1:1 “speed dates”.

This is a virtual event. Each booking secures 2 places per company.

Overview
Major Planning reform is required to resolve supply side pressures on the housing market. Although a myriad of other factors contributes to anaemic housebuilding, the UK’s byzantine planning system has been identified by the current administration as one of the primary blockers.

With the government targeting 370,000 homes to be built per year, an increase from previous target of 300,000 the reform agenda is being watched by the private & public sector alike. This is of course compounded by the reality that from September 2023 – September 2024, only 221,500 were built according to EPC data.

The Planning Reform Conference 2025 bring together leaders from across the private, public, and charity sectors. This conference aims to enable leaders to navigate the evolving planning landscape & to drive sustainable growth of our towns and communities.

Agenda
9.00am
Registration

9.20am
Chairs Opening Remarks

09.30am
Keynote: Policy Update: aims of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Hear from the government to understand the latest plans for encouraging house building and regeneration
Learn how the government plans to liberalise planning near commuter belts to ensure housing is found where it is needed
No houses without infrastructure; hear how the government plans to fast track certain projects to ensure sustainable house building
10.00am
Keynote: Overcoming Barriers to House Building

Explore the reasons behind the housing shortage, understanding both supply & demand issues nationwide
Learn how different areas face different issues with respect to housebuilding
Appreciate the interlinked factors leading to the current lack of house building
Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy & Market Insight, National Federation of Builders (CONFIRMED)



10.30am
Questions & Answers

10.50am
Comfort Break

11.10am
Keynote: Views from the Private Sector – Market implications & Financial viability of New Developments

Address the issues with escalating construction costs which are impacting feasibility
Learn from successful urban regeneration projects
Hear innovative strategies to keep costs down while not sacrificing quality
Senior Leadership, Major UK House Builder & Contractor (Invited)

11.40am
Case Study: Development in Existing Towns and Cities vs. New Towns

Understand the balancing between urban regeneration with new communities to meet demand
Explore the complexities of land availability, infrastructure costs, community impact, and sustainability
Exploring strategic trade-offs and best practices
12.10pm
Questions & Answers

12.10pm
Lunch

1.20pm
Breakout Networking

2.00pm
Case Study: Green belt developments and the forgotten stakeholder: Nature

Appreciate the difficulties in identifying suitable areas for house building
Hear how ‘Grey belt’ development may alleviate pressures on greenbelt without impacting natural beauty
Appreciate concerns of local residents and their views with respect to new developments near & on greenbelt land.
2.30pm
Case Study: Accelerating infrastructure to enable housebuilding

Understand that house building targets mean very little without the requisite infrastructure to support them
Hear how infrastructure proposals can also contribute to natural spaces and net-zero targets
Learn of the economic benefits of large scale infrastructure projects, both in the near & long term
Vanessa Strange, Head of Infrastructure Investment, Lincolnshire County Council (Invited)

3.00pm
Questions & Answers

3.20
Comfort Break

3.40pm
Case Study: Enhancing Community Engagement to overcome NIMBYism

Hear how engaging the local community leads to lessened community resistance
Learn best practice to obtain stakeholder engagement and social value
Realise additional value for communities by integrating suggestions & ideas
4.00pm
Case Study: Supporting Affordable and Social Housing Initiatives

Addressing the growing demand for affordable and social housing
Exploring funding mechanisms and government incentives
Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility in housing developments
Senior leader from the Mayor of London’s ‘Affordable Housing Programme’ (Invited)

4.20pm
Questions & Answers

4.40pm
Chairs Closing Remarks

5.00pm
Conference Close

Overview
The UK Private Rental Sector is undergoing a significant transformation. Legislative changes and shifting market dynamics are causing many landlords to reconsider their portfolios. With the prospect of fewer properties on the market and demand remaining high, the interplay between these new regulations and the market remains to be seen.

This conference will bring together senior-decision makers from local authorities and private housing providers to explore the evolving regulatory landscape and how both the public and private rental sector may mutually benefit.

Key sessions will cover critical policy updates, including the Renters’ (Rights) Bill, the abolition of Section 21 evictions, and the abolition of ASTs. Experts will analyse recent rental market trends, investment considerations, and the economic impact of new regulations. Attendees will gain insights into landlord licensing, enforcement strategies, and how councils can leverage their powers to drive compliance.

Get in Touch

Agenda
9.00am
Registration

9.50am
Chair’s Opening Remarks

10.00am
Keynote: Recent Legislative Reforms in the Private Rental Sector

Analysis of the Renters’ (Rights) Bill and its implications for landlords and tenants.
Abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions: anticipated challenges and opportunities.
Introduction of the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector: compliance requirements and timelines.
10.20am
Keynote: Market Trends and Rental Price Dynamics

Recent data indicating the first decline in private rents outside London since 2019.
Factors contributing to rental price fluctuations: supply-demand balance, economic influences, and regional disparities.
Strategies for landlords and councils to adapt to evolving market conditions.
10.40am
Keynote: Enhancing Tenant Rights and Protections: benefits and consequences

Legal implications of banning upfront rent demands and its impact on tenant accessibility.
Hear about the impact of abolishing ASTs.
Addressing discrimination: prohibitions on blanket bans against tenants with children or those receiving benefits.
Strengthening tenant voices: the role of the proposed Private Renters’ Ombudsman.
11:00am
Questions and Answers

11.20am
Comfort Break

11.40am
Case Study: Landlord / Agent Perspectives and Property Management

Understanding the new grounds for possession and streamlined eviction processes for anti-social behaviour.
Best practices for maintaining compliance with enhanced property standards.
Navigating the Property Portal: resources and support for landlords.
12:00pm
Case Study: Local Council Strategies for Enforcement and Support

Empowering councils with strengthened enforcement powers against non-compliant landlords.
Implementing the Decent Homes Standard: inspection protocols and support mechanisms.
Collaborative approaches between councils and landlords to improve housing quality.
Sam Strong, Head of Housing Management, London Borough of Hillingdon (Invited)

12:20pm
Questions & Answers Panel

12:40am
Lunch Break

1:20pm
Breakout Networking

An opportunity to network with property professionals across the public and private sector.

1:50pm
Case Study: Economic Impacts and Investment Considerations

Assessing the effects of potential rent control measures on investment in the rental sector.
Balancing tenant protections with incentives for landlords to invest in property improvements.
Future outlook: economic forecasts and their potential impact on the rental market.
2:20pm
Case Study: Sustainability and Energy Efficiency in Rental Properties – the Warm Homes Plan

Understanding & preparing for the potential upcoming regulations on energy efficiency and their implications for rental properties.
Funding opportunities and incentives for landlords to implement sustainable practices.
Case studies: successful integration of green technologies in rental accommodation.
2:50pm
Questions & Answers

3:10pm
Comfort Break

3:30pm
Case Study: Strengthening Private-Public Partnerships in the Rental Sector

Exploring joint initiatives between local authorities and private landlords to increase affordable housing supply.
Case studies of successful Build-to-Rent and Private Rented Sector (PRS) schemes led by councils.
Developing long-term partnership frameworks: risk-sharing, incentives, and policy alignment.
Tracy Chambers, Head of Housing and Community, Canterbury City Council (Invited)

4:00pm
Case Study: Licensing, Regulation, and Compliance in the PRS

Expanding selective licensing schemes: benefits, challenges, and impact on housing quality.
Ensuring landlord compliance with property standards through better enforcement mechanisms.
Balancing regulatory burdens with incentives to encourage private sector participation.
Dawn Guster, Housing Officer, Reading Borough Council (Invited)

4:20pm
Questions and Answers

4:40pm
Chairs closing remarks

4:50pm
Conference Close

Big data, AI and machine learning are re-shaping how residential real estate is transacted and managed.

These technologies could transform us into a Net Zero world, but concerns remain around privacy, effectiveness and the high energy demands of data-driven solutions.

This webinar will unpack the key challenges and highlight opportunities for harnessing the power of proptech in solving global housing (and environmental) challenges.

Join global experts and business leaders on residential property data to understand the good and bad of data – the key to Net Zero or the fastest growing problem for energy security?



Franz Fuerst – Professor of Real Estate & Urban Economics, Cambridge University

Franz is Professor of Real Estate and Urban Economics, Director of the Graduate Programme at the Department of Land Economy, Fellow Commoner at Trinity Hall and the current CULS Fellow. He is also a visiting fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia and the Institut Louis Bachelier, Paris. Professor Fuerst serves as Co-Editor and Editorial Board member for several academic journals, for example Empirical Economics and Spatial Economic Analysis and regularly advises science foundations and research consortia. He is also Principal Investigator in a number of research projects, for example in the EU Horizon 2020 programme. His expertise and research interests are in the areas of financial and economic analysis of sustainable real estate investments, health and well-being in the built environment as well as real estate market forecasting and spatial economics.

Gavriel Merkado – CEO, Realyse

Gavriel Merkado, Founder and CEO of REalyse.
First working in equity analysis and then eventually quantitative strategy in financial markets, Gavriel shifted his career to real estate working with Adrian Wyatt OBE at Quintain Plc and then at the then leading BTR business Essential Living. Working for several years at major real estate investment and development firms it became clear that unlike in financial markets, real estate was lacking a source of clear, accurate, reliable and accessible information to enable decision making. This became the foundation of REalyse which is now the UK’s leading data analytics system for banks, institutional investors, development companies and advisory businesses.

Matt Ellis – CEO, Measurabl

Matt is Founder and CEO of Measurabl, the world’s most widely adopted ESG technology platform for real estate. Over 12 billion square feet of real estate valued in excess USD of $2 trillion across 91 countries measures, manages and acts on ESG using Measurabl.
Before Measurabl, Matt spent five years with CBRE, the world’s largest commercial real estate services company, where he led CBRE’s Sustainability Practice Group, implemented its industry-first global carbon neutrality program, and served as the company’s first Director of Sustainability Solutions and youngest member of its Global Sustainability
Advisory Committee.
Matt is widely acknowledged as an industry thought leader with numerous accolades and affiliations including: Aspen Institute Fellow, New Leaders
Council Fellow, “Top 50” Real Estate Executive (Real Estate Forum), “40 Under 40” (UC San Diego), Entrepreneur of the Year Semi Finalist (EY), and author of “From Green to ESG: How data driven transparency changed real estate for good”, the defining book on the ESG revolution in real estate.

Emma Fletcher – Low Carbon Homes Director, Octopus Energy

A graduate of the University of Cambridge in Land Economy and a Rural Surveyor by trade, Emma additionally has over 20 years’ experience in property development, including currently Managing Director at Evera Homes (a private development company owned by Hyde, Flagship, Longhurst and Cross Keys housing associations), a Director at Hill, Managing Director at SmithsonHill and Property Director at Marshall Group Properties. Emma is Chair of Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust, who after establishing homes, are working with Cambridgeshire County Council and are about to turn on the first village wide retrofit sustainable heating system in the country. Emma is a Trustee of the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry, and Grounds Trustee at Cambridge University Rugby Club. Emma was instrumental in the initial roll out of Foundation 200, a £12million Hill Group Foundation donation of 200 homes for the homeless, a MMC turn key fully fitted, volumetric meanwhile, small-home solution to help homeless people take a stepping stone to turn their lives around. She is a passionate advocate for change, community resilience and sustainability solutions for all.

Anna Clare Harper – CEO, GreenResi

Anna is CEO at GreenResi, a platform helping institutional investors to grow profitable, sustainable portfolios of existing Private Rental Sector homes.

Her previous experience includes:
• Head of Sustainability and Insights for leading European proptech firm, IMMO, which managed €2.5bn Single Family Rental investment
• Developed the strategy and built the seed portfolio for a HNWI-backed fund targeting a £100m+ housing portfolio
• Involved with c. £2bn+ transactions as a Strategist at Deloitte
• Published three books on UK residential/sustainable residential investment
• Hosting a leading property podcast; regularly featured in publications including Financial Times, Forbes, BBC; TedX talk on Sustainable Residential Investment
• Named one of Management Today’s ‘35 Women Under 35’ and Bisnow’s ‘Women Leading Real Estate’
She is passionate about using technology for good and supporting other women – both in business and life – including as part of the Committee for The Nelson Trust, a charity rehabilitating women with complex needs.

This event is a webinar and a joining link will be sent out before the event.