It is one of those phrases that sounds like progress: "More planning permissions granted." Yet scratch the surface, and a more complicated story emerges. This Thursday on Property Quorum, carrying on from last week, we will be exploring that gap between permission and delivery, and why government proposals to speed up build-out rates may end up stalling progress instead.

Are the new proposals going to really help the situation?

On Thursday 3rd July at 10am, host Gareth Wax is joined by conveyancing collaborator Hamish McLay and an expert panel of regular contributors. Michelle Carr, Quantity Surveyor and creator of Taking the Con out of Construction, experienced developer Chris Gilsenan, and property lawyer Juliet Baboolal will all be sharing their insight.

Together, they bring three very different vantage points to the discussion and one shared concern: that recent government pressure on developers to "get building" could be missing the mark.

The backdrop is a growing frustration at the national level. With housing targets proving difficult to meet, the finger is now being pointed at developers who, in some eyes, are sitting on planning consents without building. Yet, the picture is far more complex. Planning approval is just one part of the delivery chain and not always the hardest hurdle to clear.

Are proposals designed to penalise slow build-out rates based on faulty assumptions? Are developers really holding back? Or are they facing mounting challenges in delivering schemes at scale, from labour shortages to materials costs, local objections to infrastructure delays? For those with experience on the ground, it is clear: permission does not always mean viability.

Michelle Carr will share insight from the front line of construction, where even shovel-ready projects can be derailed by late design changes, unrealistic timescales or shifting cost bases. Chris Gilsenan brings the developer’s perspective, with a view of what happens when approved schemes stall, not out of choice but out of necessity.

Juliet Baboolal will offer a legal view on what obligations actually mean in practice, and how pressure from planning authorities may be clashing with commercial realities.

The discussion is rooted in current events, brought about by articles warning that the government’s latest proposals could backfire. A desire to quicken the pace of delivery is understandable. Yet a closer look suggests that pressure alone will not shift the dial.

What is needed is a more honest conversation about the friction points in the system and what might help unlock delivery without forcing unrealistic expectations.

Join us live on Thursday for a discussion that moves past soundbites and into some of the real challenges behind the build-out debate.
Live on Thursday 3rd July at 10am. Property Quorum with Gareth Wax, Hamish McLay, Michelle Carr, Chris Gilsenan and Juliet Baboolal.

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