UK Property Forums membership manager Tom Osborn, a UKPF NextGen member and University of Reading Real Estate student, was at UKREiiF 2025. He offers his perception of this year’s event.
As one of around 50 students fortunate enough to receive a ticket to UKREiiF, I had the privilege of attending the conference in Leeds and making the most of the opportunity.
Having previously attended UKREiiF as an ambassador for the non-profit Regeneration Brainery, it is evident that the conference continues to grow in scale and significance.
For those that attended the wet 2024 edition, you will agree that this year the glorious sunshine helped create a special atmosphere in the Royal Armouries. Those firms that booked rooftops to host their drinks receptions certainly benefited from the weather too!
It is also apparent that there is an increasing contingent of Next Gen property professionals, with diversity and inclusion initiatives at the forefront in promoting this, including Regeneration Brainery, The Developers Club and BPF Futures (amongst many others).
As a real estate student, it is incredibly valuable to speak with and learn from a wide range of industry professionals and I am very grateful to everyone who gave me advice throughout the week.
One of my highlights was attending the Savills Next Gen event at Revolución de Cuba, which was an excellent opportunity to meet a range of surveyors, graduates and placement students at the firm.
Several recurring themes emerged across the panels, with the Building Safety Act and the much-discussed ‘golden thread’ topping the agenda. It is clear that the Act has stalled new development of high-rise schemes, due to slow approvals and tighter rules, and improvements to the Building Safety Regulator will be very welcome.
Offices were also on the minds of delegates throughout the week, with an improving sentiment towards office investment and development, which is perhaps surprising given the hit the sector took following Covid.
A panel hosted in the BNP Paribas Real Estate pavilion discussed the return to office strategies of corporate occupiers and the ‘flight-to-quality’ for the best offices.
As occupiers are becoming increasingly conscious about their carbon footprint, energy-efficient offices are integral to help them meet their ESG targets. An undersupply of well-located, high-amenity and energy-efficient offices are resulting in compressed yields.
Another highlight was attending a fireside chat with retail veteran and Marks & Spencer chairman, Archie Norman. His insights into the retail sector and M&S’s strategy were especially timely, coming just a day after the release of the company’s latest accounts – and in the midst of its high-profile cyber attack.
Once again, thank you to UKREiiF and The Developers Club for sponsoring me to attend, and I hope to return in the future.
See also UKPF consultant Hugh Blaza’s report from the day and our exclusive podcast.
© Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com).
Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here.
