Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

The frictionless building: Productivity, tech and the modern occupier

Chair: Tim Burke, editor 

Speaker: Guy Windsor-Lewis, CEO & founder, Locale

Operational drag is the silent killer of asset value. For owners and asset managers, the challenge is clear: how do you deliver more with less, while meeting the rising demands of a multi-generational workforce? This podcast, recorded at UKREiiF, takes you inside the engine room of the UK’s most innovative properties.

Partnering with Locale, we examine how digitising the occupier journey, from seamless access to on-demand amenities, removes the friction that hinders productivity. We look at the data-driven insights that allow managers to optimise every stage of a building’s life. If you want to understand how to align your operational strategy with the evolving needs of your tenants to create a truly resilient portfolio, this is the conversation for you.

Beyond the green tick: why responsible investment is the new commercial edge

Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter

Speakers: Huw Davies, partner head of ESG, Jones Hargreaves

Today, the most successful assets aren't just "green"; they are commercially resilient, high-performing spaces that occupiers actually want to inhabit. In this episode, recorded at UKREiiF, we sit down with Huw Davies, head of ESG at Jones Hargreaves, to challenge the traditional view of sustainability. Huw argues for a shift in language and mindset: moving away from the narrow lens of ESG toward the broader, more strategic framework of responsible investment.

We’ll explore why investors are no longer looking for minimal compliance, but for a clear return on their social and environmental capital. As occupiers demand more flexibility, better amenities and authentic placemaking, the buildings that thrive will be those that treat these demands as commercial opportunities rather than overhead costs. Reflecting on recent projects, from the heritage-sensitive retrofitting of York’s historic assets to the delivery of high-spec ESG-led refurbishments in Central London, Huw shares how Jones Hargreaves is bridging the gap between "doing good" and "doing business”. This is a conversation about how the buildings of tomorrow are being built on the responsible investment decisions of today.

Divided delivery, united vision: Mastering large-scale development

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor 

Speakers: 
Joanna Deffley, partner residential development, Shakespeare Martineau
James Scott, group director strategy & planning, Urban & Civic 

This episode explores the intricate mechanics and strategic rewards of large-scale developments delivered through complex, multi-partner frameworks. Join Joanna Deffley and James Scott, recorded at UKREiiF, as we unpack the blueprint for managing significant expansions that define regional growth. We’ll delve into the "multi-partner offering," examining the critical balance between contractual control regulations and the collaborative synergy required to deliver multi-tenure homes at scale.

The discussion highlights the shift toward infrastructure-led growth, where fully integrated green infrastructure and sustainable transit are woven into the masterplan from day one. From navigating the inherent risks of long-term projects to seizing the strategic opportunities of a shifting planning landscape, this conversation reveals how diverse partners can align to turn ambitious housing targets into thriving, future-proof communities.

Turning connectivity from a tenant headache into a landlord advantage

Chair: Akanksha Soni, news editor

Speakers:   
Steven Calder, head of connected buildings 
Bob Allen RCDD, director – smart buildings, Block Solutions

For today’s occupiers, a building is only as good as its heartbeat: the digital connectivity that keeps their business alive. In this episode, we sit down with Elevate to explore how they are redefining the relationship between landlords, agents and occupiers. We move past the traditional "four-month wait" for fibre and look at how smart infrastructure, like London’s innovative rooftop wireless networks, is creating zero-risk connectivity through "Ground to Cloud" resiliency.
We’ll dive into the story of the Preconnect® model, a partnership-led approach that removes the headache of individual installations and learn more about the Wayleave agreements that enable landlords to offer "moving-in ready" connectivity, a powerful lever for occupancy and asset value.
Join us as we discuss why the future of the smart building isn't just about the hidden digital backbone or the cables in the walls, but the partnerships that ensure a tenant's first day in a new office is their most productive one. 

Beyond the pin on the map: Why the best masterplans evolve with the market

Chair: Tim Burke, editor

Speaker: Dan Westley, head of portfolio, UK, Vastint

In major urban regeneration, the "perfect" masterplan on day one is rarely the right one by the time the final phase completes. While location provides the foundation, it is strategic agility that ensures a development remains relevant across decades of shifting market cycles and evolving human behaviour.

In this episode, we sit down with Dan Westley, head of portfolio at Vastint UK, to discuss the delicate balance between long-term conviction and the flexibility to pivot. Drawing on Vastint’s major UK schemes, including Sugar House Island in London, Aire Park in Leeds and Cardiff Embankment, we’ll explore why successful regeneration is no longer about delivering static real estate, but about curating resilient places that can absorb change.

Unlocking delivery: How regional partnerships are rescuing stalled sites

Chair: Tim Burke, editor

Speaker: Helen Collins, principal & managing director, Midlands, head of UK living and affordable housing, Avison Young

When the traditional blueprints for BTR and housing for sale no longer align with economic reality, the industry must look to new models and partnerships beyond the balance sheet. Today, the most valuable asset in a developer's toolkit isn’t just land or capital, it’s the ability to flex and pivot to find the opportunities among the challenges. 
 
In this episode, Helen Collins explores the move toward embedding partnership models. As project feasibility becomes a moving target, Avison Young is seeing a new trend: regional experts joining forces to breathe life into stalled opportunities. We discuss how these collaborative ecosystems are rewriting the rules of delivery, ensuring that vital housing projects move from the drawing board to the community.

Estates Gazette Awards 2026 – what makes a standout entry?

Speakers:

Tim Burke (chair) | Editor, Estates Gazette

Clive Chalkley | Partner, Gowling WLG

Luke Tillison | Managing partner, head of transactional, BTG Eddisons

Gavin Lacey | CEO, CHPK

 

Editor Tim Burke talks to some of this year’s judges to find out what makes a standout entry, and how they like to approach the judging process.

Estates Gazette Awards 2026: what’s the real estate equivalent of dressing to impress in a written submission?

Speakers:

Tim Burke (chair) | Editor Estates Gazette

Kellie Hatton | National head of real estate, Shakespeare Martineau

Sam Wallis | CEO, GIA

Bruce Evans | Chief commercial officer, RentGuarantor

 

Editor Tim Burke sits down with some of the judges from our category sponsors to discuss this year's awards

Forget the trophy assets: this is where the real value in the UK office market is

Speaker: Steve Coulson CEO and founder, Kitt 
Chair: Tim Burke, editor, Estates Gazette

While capital continues to chase a narrow pool of prime trophy assets, the industry may be looking for value in the wrong place. This episode explores the "missing middle", the vast majority of the UK office market consisting of smaller, operationally under-managed buildings that represent the sector's biggest untapped opportunity.

We discuss why the future of UK offices isn’t in new developments, but in the strategic transformation of existing stock. Join us as we break down why the modern arbitrage is purely operational and how investment-grade managed space has officially arrived as the next evolution of the office model.

How the Good Growth Fund is reimagining every Manchester district

Speaker: Bev Craig, leader, Manchester City Council 
Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter, Estates Gazette 

Greater Manchester has spent a decade as the UK’s fastest-growing city region, with productivity consistently outpacing the national average. This success is no accident; it is the result of a long-term leadership approach and a consistent vision that integrates investment in skills and public health to drive a genuine increase in quality of life.

In this episode, Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, discusses how the city region is leveraging its trailblazing devolution powers to deliver a £38bn boost to the UK economy by 2035. We explore the launch of the Good Growth Fund, a landmark vehicle designed to pump-prime 2 million sq ft of employment space and nearly 3,000 new homes in its first wave alone.