Key Sessions

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In this session, experts will explore the multi-faceted realm of social housing. The panel aims to define what quality means within this sector, differentiating between the physical standards of homes and the lived experience of tenants. By understanding how subpar housing impacts health and family welfare, this panel will shed light on pressing challenges and potential solutions.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• Defining Quality in Social Housing: Beyond brick and mortar - the interplay of infrastructure and tenant satisfaction.
• The Real-world Impacts: Examining the direct correlation between housing standards, health outcomes, and societal welfare.
• Best Practices: Lessons from exemplary housing projects in the UK and beyond.

Engage in a profound conversation with industry experts who bring a wealth of knowledge from policy, construction, advocacy, and tenant perspectives.

History has a lot to teach, and this panel endeavors to glean lessons from the evolution of housing from 2010. With a special focus on the devastating Grenfell Tower fire, experts will debate the pressing needs for change, reform, and more compassionate housing policies.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• A Decade in Review: Tracking the progress and pitfalls in housing quality from 2010 onwards.
• Grenfell - A Turning Point: Unpacking the implications, reactions, and reforms that emerged post-tragedy.
• Building Safety Act: A deep dive into its impact on UK housing safety.

Join an emotive and insightful dialogue with experts who've been at the forefront of housing reforms, safety standards, and community advocacies.

The nation spoke, and the policymakers listened. This panel will delve into the results from the post-Grenfell listening exercise, shedding light on the hopes, fears, and aspirations of UK residents. Further, it will dissect the Charter for Social Housing Residents, understanding its commitments and challenges.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• Voice of the People: Insights and feedback from the nationwide post-Grenfell listening exercise.
• Policy Responses: How has the government and housing bodies responded to public feedback?
• Elevating Tenant Experiences: Strategies, hurdles, and the path forward.

Engage with policy framers, researchers, and tenants in a rich discussion that bridges the gap between top-down policies and ground-level realities.

The future of UK housing is poised at the cusp of transformative reforms. This panel will chart the course for the future, exploring ambitious new projects, regulatory changes, and protective laws like Awaab's Law.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• The Levelling Up White Paper 2022: Key takeaways and their potential impact.
• Awaab's Law: How it aims to revolutionise housing health standards.
• The Road Ahead: Expected timeline for reforms and what they mean for various stakeholders.

Dive deep into the legislative and policy nuances of housing with legal experts, reform advocates, and policy analysts. Understand, debate, and visualise the future of UK housing.

This panel seeks to underline the importance of collective action in effecting genuine change. By exploring the roles of landlords, tenants, and government bodies, the discussion will illuminate synergies, challenges, and a way forward.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• Landlord's Perspectives: Challenges, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Tenant Empowerment: Mechanisms to provide tenants with greater voice and agency.
• Regulation and Oversight: Striking a balance between autonomy and accountability.

A stimulating conversation awaits as landlords, tenants, regulators, and policymakers converge to discuss challenges, expectations, and collaborations.

Political visions often shape the course of a nation. This panel will unpack the housing visions as laid out in the Conservative and Labour manifestos, providing insights, critiques, and hopes for the future.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

• Home Ownership and Building: The Conservative ethos.
• Social Housing and Tenants’ Rights: Unravelling Labour's approach.
• Meeting in the Middle: Common grounds, disagreements, and the way forward.

Witness a potent exchange of ideas and vision as representatives from two of UK's leading parties, along with developers and economists, dissect, debate, and discuss the future of housing in the nation.

The Church of England, with its vast land holdings and mission to serve the common good, has emerged as a prominent stakeholder in the UK housing landscape. This panel discussion aims to delve deep into the Church's involvement, strategies, and vision for housing. By highlighting the Church's significant contributions, we aim to create a dynamic dialogue on the ethical, social, and economic facets of land use and housing development.

Key Topics to Be Addressed:

Historical Context:

• Understanding the Church's land ownership patterns over the years.
• Evolution of the Church's stance on housing and community development.

Ethical Framework for Land Use:

• Exploring the Church's ethical guidelines when it comes to property development.
• The balance between commercial benefits and community service.
• Prioritising the needs of the most vulnerable in society in housing projects.

Collaborative Endeavours:

• Highlighting joint ventures between the Church, local councils, and housing developers.
• Examining successful case studies where such collaborations led to holistic community development.

Affordable Housing Initiatives:

• The Church's commitment to affordable housing on its lands.
• Strategies adopted to ensure housing remains within the reach of those in need.

Response to the Housing Crisis:

• Initiatives and actions taken by the Church in response to the growing housing crisis in the UK.
• Lessons learned and future directions.

Challenges and Criticisms:

• Addressing critiques and challenges faced by the Church in its land use for housing.
• Strategies to overcome these hurdles and ensure a consistent and beneficial approach.

 Vision for the Future:

• The Church's long-term vision for its role in UK housing.
• Potential collaborations, projects, and initiatives on the horizon.

This panel aims to shed light on the multifaceted role of the Church of England in the UK's housing sector. Through lively discussions and expert insights, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the Church's contributions, challenges, and future vision. It promises to be an illuminating conversation, emphasising the unique intersection of faith, land, and housing.