As a world, a nation, and as a market, personal and corporate values and priorities are being re-examined like never before.  A unique set of political, social and environmental circumstances have set the scene for one of the most transformative periods of the post-war era, and the battle lines of competition in markets have shifted (and are continuing to shift) for good.

Property is of course feeling the full force of these shifts. No longer can developers hope to compete on the basis of being the tallest, newest or flashiest, or not alone at least.  Rather, occupiers are now more discerning and demand a range of nuanced benefits from space, and for investors Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations are becoming increasingly critical in determining where and how to deploy capital.  How the development industry responds to these changing demands will determine its success over the coming decades.

Whilst there is a great deal of focus on the ‘E’ in ESG within the real estate sector (and rightly so, given that emissions from buildings account for a third of all CO2 emissions in the UK) the need to more clearly understand the interface between property and Society is becoming increasingly critical. 

Over the course of the next 12 months, we will be unpacking some of the key debates around the social role of property (and the property industry) in London, and how observed and predicted trends could see this role change over the coming years and decades.   Some of the themes we will be exploring include:

• The social role of tall buildings
• Housing London’s future workforce in an increasingly unaffordable market
• 15-minute neighbourhoods and repurposing London’s town centres
• Catalysing regeneration through transport and infrastructure investment
• Re-establishing London as a world-leading destination for business, talent and tourism post-covid
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the London property sector

We look forward to engaging with a diverse range of professionals, stakeholders and interested parties, both from within property and from outside the industry, over the coming weeks and months.