BusinessLDN at UKREiiF 2026: closing our fringe programme at the London Social

We closed BusinessLDN’s fringe series at UKREiiF 2026 on Tuesday evening with our London Social, sponsored by Kanda Consulting – bringing together senior figures from across the built environment and government in a more informal setting to continue the conversations shaping our wider programme.

A full room reflected the strength of appetite across the sector for maintaining momentum, bringing together private sector members and attendees from across London, Whitehall, and local government. It provided space to reconnect on the themes running through our dinner and fringe sessions – investment, development, and what it now takes to keep projects progressing.

Hosted by John Dickie, Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, with contributions from Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration, and Karen Alcock, Managing Director of Kanda Consulting, the reception drew those strands together while creating space for more direct conversation.

In his welcome, John reflected on BusinessLDN’s activity at UKREiiF this year and how each session has been shaped by a focus on working in partnership, whether through private-sector partnerships or between the public and private sectors. He spoke directly to the context. The built environment remains central to London’s growth, with the capital accounting for roughly a quarter of the UK economy, but market conditions are tough, with global pressures adding to long-standing constraints.

At the same time, the political picture has become more fragmented, adding further complexity to decision-making. But the direction is clear. Drawing on BusinessLDN’s Growth Commission, John made the case for targeted action to unblock development – from tackling regulatory barriers to strengthening demand and unlocking new investment.

From a City Hall perspective, Jules Pipe outlined the steps taken over the past year to support development, including emergency planning measures and the introduction of ATLAS LDN, as well as work on the next London Plan, expected this summer. The framework is evolving, but he was clear that none of this will deliver without strong public – private collaboration, and that partnership will be critical to boosting delivery under the new Plan.

Building on that, Karen Alcock turned to the outlook. With greater uncertainty ahead, partnership will only grow in importance – helping to align priorities, share risk, and maintain confidence as schemes move forward. She also highlighted the merger of Kanda Consulting and Concilio, bringing together two teams to strengthen their offer across London and the UK.

The message across the evening was consistent. The barriers are well understood. The policy direction is broadly set. The priority now is making it work in practice – at pace, and with the coordination needed to keep projects moving.

Following another strong year at UKREiiF, we are now shaping our 2027 fringe programme. If you’re interested in partnering with BusinessLDN, please contact our events team to discuss sponsorship opportunities.