Browne Jacobson to lead discussions on the future of real estate and infrastructure at this year’s UKREiiF 2024 event

10 May 2024

Our team is returning to the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) for the second consecutive year, leading discussions on the future of real estate and infrastructure. There will be over 15 representatives in attendance composed of leaders from our real estate and construction, government, and insurance and public risk sectors.

Nick Hurley, Partner within our Government sector, will co-chair the ‘Rethinking Places’ panel session at UKREiiF's Pavilion Zone on Tuesday 21 May. The session will take place between 3-4.30pm and will include key individuals working on Meridian Water, Enfield Council’s regeneration project. The panel will discuss overcoming challenges in the current market, Meridian Water’s achievements to date, and future plans for the project.

As the sole legal adviser and part of the core advisor team for Meridian Water, we are proud to support this transformative initiative, which is set to deliver 10,000 homes and create 6,000 job opportunities within the London borough of Enfield.

Nick Hurley said:

“We are thrilled to be facilitating this Meridian Water panel discussion at UKREiiF. This is a great opportunity for us to showcase the exceptional work that has gone into Meridian Water so far, update the market on exciting next steps for the project, and also demonstrate the positive impact on business and society of the work that we do with our clients. Our ongoing involvement alongside the Council and Newbridge Advisors at Meridian Water is a great example of the breadth and depth of Browne Jacobson’s regeneration expertise in action.”

Ben Standing, Partner within our Insurance and Public Risk sector, will be sitting on the ‘Retrofit, Redevelop or Repurpose’ panel at UKREiiF’s Sustainable Futures Pavilion on Tuesday 21 May alongside panellists from AtkinsRealis, Knight Frank, and Leslie Jones Architecture. This session will take place between 3-3.45pm and will look at the opportunities and challenges in the changing real estate market, where a two-tier market is emerging in many sectors.

Using the Marks & Spencer planning controversy as a case study, the group will examine whether buildings should be demolished and rebuilt, or retrofitted to make them more efficient. The panel will answer key questions such as how we can reuse existing buildings most effectively and how recent planning challenges impact viability and deliverability.

Ben Standing said:

“I’m delighted to be sitting on the 'Retrofit, Redevelop, or Repurpose' panel with leaders from Knight Frank, AtkinsRealis, and Leslie Jones Architecture. We'll be looking at one of the biggest net zero questions - whether to tear down or retrofit buildings to make our cities and towns more sustainable. We'll explore how to best use/reuse old buildings and deal with complex planning issues.”

UKREiiF, which takes place between 21 - 23 May in Leeds, connects people, places, and businesses to accelerate sustainable, inclusive, and transformative investment. This annual event brings together the public sector, with representation from every core UK city and region, alongside Government bodies, investors, funders, developers, housebuilders, and other key stakeholders.

With an anticipated attendance of 10,000 individuals, including 1,500 investors and representatives from 250 local authorities, the event will provide ample opportunities for networking and collaboration. Join us at UKREiiF as we continue to champion innovation and collaboration in the real estate and infrastructure landscape. Visit us at stand D40 to learn more about our work in this field and connect with our team.