Day one – UKREiiF 2025

A sunny start to UKREiiF in Leeds last week. Day one kicked off with a keynote by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor, doubling down on the government’s message to “build, build, build”.

And, the optimism continued.

Listening to the plans and proposals for towns and cities across the UK, a key theme that emerged is the essential relationship between preservation and innovation. New places and spaces, whilst bringing innovative and essential new amenities, infrastructure, homes and workplaces to towns and cities, should be in keeping with, and sensitive to, an area’s heritage and unique character to maintain a cohesive, authentic and appealling ‘sense of place’.

And, conceptual though it seems, an authentic sense of place is essential to successful neighbourhoods and destinations. As Misa von Tunzelman at Lendlease pointed out in a debate about what drives distinctiveness in place – without the right story, you will fail to drive footfall and interest.

Discussing the repurposing and restoration of heritage buildings, Georgina Lynch at The PJ Livesey Group explored the potential that lies in our heritage assets. Restoring heritage assets into residential could unlock as many as 670,000 new homes, whilst also continuing to define the character of a place and engage communities with their local history.

Whilst, in St Helens, ECF, Muse and St Helens Council, are enhancing civic pride and sense of place through urban design ideas that reflect the proud heritage, buildings and features.