BusinessLDN’s 2026 programme at MIPIM got off to a strong start yesterday, bringing together senior figures from business, government, and the wider London development community at our Landing Drinks and Dinner. With a mix of long‑standing partners and new connections in the room, the mood was upbeat and practical, reflecting a shared determination to champion London’s strengths and focus on what is now needed to unlock delivery.
Our Landing Drinks, kindly sponsored by Quod and Ballymore, and Landing Dinner, kindly sponsored by Arcadis, provided an early opportunity to take stock at the very start of MIPIM, reinforcing the importance of presenting a confident, coordinated London voice.
Across both events, a consistent theme emerged: confidence in London’s fundamentals, paired with a clear‑eyed view of the barriers holding delivery back. As Tom Dobson, Managing Director at Quod, neatly illustrated, even a simple weekend run along the Regent’s Canal is a reminder of what makes London such a distinctive global city – its diversity, liveability, and strong sense of place. These qualities remain central to London’s ability to attract talent, investment, and innovation – and will also be a focus of our Future London conference in June, which will bring together leaders from across business and government to examine how the capital can strengthen its growth and competitiveness in the years ahead.
That optimism was matched by a grounded discussion about delivery. Steven Tennant, Managing Director of Development at Ballymore, spoke about the strength of their London pipeline, underlining that there is no shortage of ambition or investable schemes. However, regulatory and financial constraints continue to slow progress on the ground. The message was clear: with the right conditions in place, the private sector has both the appetite and capacity to move faster.
A central focus was the role of City Hall in creating the conditions for delivery. At the Landing Dinner, Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration, set out how London is entering a critical moment, with major policy and delivery milestones coming together. These include the imminent publication of the new London Plan, the recent launch of the Oxford Street Development Corporation, and the proposed Emergency Measures to help kickstart housebuilding.
Jules was clear that the focus now must be on implementation. With delivery at historically low levels and market conditions still challenging, there was strong interest in how planning policy, mayoral powers, and partnership working can be used more assertively to unblock stalled schemes and give investors confidence. Alongside this, BusinessLDN will shortly be publishing the recommendations of its Growth Commission, which will set out further practical proposals to support good growth in the capital.
Several specific policy challenges and opportunities were also raised. Alexander Jan, Chair of the Central District Alliance, argued for greater Mayoral intervention in office planning applications, not just housing schemes, reflecting the importance of commercial development to London’s economy and infrastructure funding. There was also discussion about how the London Plan review can create a slimmer, more strategic framework aligned with the new National Planning Policy Framework, while still reflecting London’s unique scale and global role.
The wider discussion at the Landing Dinner focused on how London can deliver good growth, bringing together public and private sector leaders to discuss how policy, planning, and delivery can better align. This sits alongside BusinessLDN’s wider work with Arcadis, including Pathway to Delivery, our recently published global connectivity report, which highlights the importance of removing practical barriers to growth and strengthening London’s international competitiveness.
The evening was not without lighter moments. Speaking at the Landing Drinks, Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor for Business, prompted a smile by suggesting that Cannes might more accurately be described as the “London Borough of Cannes”, a nod to the city’s origins and to London’s long‑standing global influence.
It was great to see strong representation from across the public sector, including Lucinda Turner, Director of Planning and Regeneration at the GLA and Director of Spatial Planning at TfL, and Emma Williamson, Director of Planning at Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, as well as Joanna Averley, the Government’s Chief Planner. Senior representatives from BusinessLDN’s membership were also well represented, reinforcing the shared commitment to tackling London’s delivery challenges.
As MIPIM week continues, the focus is firmly on turning ambition into action. London has the assets, the pipeline, and the partnerships needed to deliver good growth. What matters now is pace, coordination, and clear leadership. These opening events, and Jules’s emphasis on delivery, made clear that London is ready to move from ambition to action this week.
With thanks to our sponsors of the Landing Drinks, Quod and Ballymore, and sponsors of the Landing Dinner, Arcadis.