Planning, Housing and Digital Innovation in the North: Event Write-Up

On 24 February 2026, we hosted “Unlocking Regional Potential: Planning, Housing & Digital Innovation in the North” in Manchester. Convened by the UK PropTech Association (UKPA), part of the British Property Federation, in partnership with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The session formed part of the PropTech Growth Programme and It was supported by partners including PUBLIC, the Digital Task Force for Planning, Future of Manchester, and our hosts Weightmans.

The forum brought together local authorities, developers, housing associations, PropTech companies and wider industry stakeholders to explore how planning, housing delivery and digital innovation can support housing delivery across the North of England. The event was designed to connect national ambitions around housing delivery and planning modernisation with the practical realities of regional delivery, creating space for cross-sector discussion on the challenges affecting planning processes and development outcomes.

The half-day programme combined strategic perspectives, practical examples and collaborative discussion. The agenda included opening reflections from government and regional leaders, a regional leaders panel discussion, PropTech case studies demonstrating digital innovation in practice, and facilitated roundtable discussions exploring structural challenges affecting housing delivery and planning. 

The discussions took place in the context of the UK’s wider housing challenge and the government’s ambition to accelerate housing delivery while modernising the planning system. Throughout the event, the sessions explored how better data, digital tools and stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors can support more efficient planning processes and enable improved development outcomes. 

A detailed summary of the discussions and insights from the event is available in the full event write-up.

Key Themes Emerging from the Event 

While the forum covered a wide range of perspectives across the planning and development system, several recurring themes emerged from the panel discussion and facilitated roundtables. 

Structural constraints affecting housing delivery 

A recurring theme across the event was the impact of structural constraints within the planning and development system. Delays within planning processes, particularly during consent stages, the discharge of planning conditions and extended Section 106 negotiations, continue to affect delivery timelines and investment certainty. Development viability remains closely linked to the cost of time and uncertainty within the system, particularly in lower-value markets where build costs remain high relative to achievable values. 

Capacity constraints within local planning authorities also emerged as an important factor affecting planning outcomes. Limited resourcing and shortages of specialist expertise can influence the speed and consistency of planning decisions, highlighting the importance of strengthening planning capacity alongside wider system improvements. 

Planning data and digital infrastructure 

The discussions highlighted the importance of planning data quality, accessibility and interoperability in enabling more effective planning processes. Planning datasets are often fragmented across systems and organisations, which can make it difficult to share information and coordinate decision-making across the development system. 

Consistent data standards and interoperable systems are foundational elements for scaling digital planning approaches. Improved integration between planning and infrastructure datasets can support more informed housing delivery decisions and help reduce duplication across planning processes. 

Digital adoption and capability 

The event also highlighted the growing role of digital tools in supporting planning and development activity. Examples shared during the programme demonstrated how technology can support site analysis, spatial modelling, community engagement and the integration of complex datasets to improve planning and development decision-making. 

However, digital maturity across planning authorities remains uneven. Effective adoption depends not only on the availability of digital tools but also on user-friendly systems, training and the capacity within planning teams to integrate new technologies into existing workflows. 

Collaboration across the development system 

Another key theme emerging from the event was the importance of collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders involved in housing delivery. Housing development requires coordination across planning authorities, developers, infrastructure providers and technology companies, often operating within different institutional frameworks and priorities. 

Stronger collaboration across disciplines and organisations can support more effective planning processes, particularly where planning, infrastructure and development considerations intersect. Earlier engagement across stakeholders can also help resolve issues earlier in the planning process and support more predictable development outcomes. 

Improving consistency and transparency in planning processes 

Greater consistency in planning documentation, evidence bases and negotiation processes was identified as an opportunity to improve predictability within the development system. In particular, the complexity and variability of Section 106 negotiations can contribute to extended planning timelines. 

Improved access to shared datasets, precedent agreements and clearer evidence bases can support more efficient decision-making and increase transparency across planning processes. Earlier engagement and clearer documentation can also help address issues earlier in the development lifecycle. 

Download the Full Event Write-Up 

The full event write-up provides a detailed summary of the discussions from the forum, including reflections from government and regional leaders, highlights from the panel discussion, PropTech case studies and consolidated insights from the facilitated roundtables.