On 16 October 2025, some of Landmark’s leading barristers in planning, property, environmental and local government law gathered at our third annual Land Use Conference. The theme - ‘All Change’ - was the sweeping reform agenda relating to UK land-use. Hosted at The View in central London, the event highlighted major proposed shifts surrounding local plans, leasehold reform, regional governance and infrastructure delivery.
The keynote address, delivered by guest speaker Sir Andy Street, former Mayor of the West Midlands and newly knighted in 2025, set the tone, emphasising that “reorganise, reflect, reform” must now be the operative mantra of land-use law.
Landmark speakers - Tim Morshead KC, James Maurici KC, David Forsdick KC, Melissa Murphy KC, Paul Brown KC, Reuben Taylor KC, Ellodie Gibbons, Katharine Holland KC, Matthew Reed KC, Charles Bishop, Richard Turney KC, Katie Helmore, Odette Chalaby, Luke Wilcox, Matthew Dale-Harris, Dr Ashley Bowes, Justin Bates KC, Ben Fullbrook, Hashi Mohamed
Key themes and take-aways
- Local Government Reorganisation & Spatial Strategy
One of the dominant threads was the increasing push towards unitary authorities and regional spatial strategies. After more than two decades of combined authorities, the next phase may demand yet more consolidation and a stronger role for regional bodies in planning.
- Housing Delivery and Leasehold Reform
The ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes, while simultaneously reforming the leasehold system and the private rented sector, featured strongly in the discussion. The conference questioned whether these goals are compatible, and what legal and practical shifts will be required in the delivery chain.
- Private Sector, Infrastructure & Environmental Pressures
With the regulation of formerly privatised utilities under scrutiny (such as the upcoming review of the water industry) the session “Protecting Public Assets – A greater role for the private sector?” explored how private law and litigation may increasingly become part of the environmental and public-asset protection picture.
Another breakout session, “Concrete plans, green promises”, examined the tension between speeding up infrastructure delivery under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 and preserving biodiversity/net gain and other environmental commitments.
- Valuation, Compulsory Purchase & Taxation
The “Money, Money, Money” session considered proposed changes to land valuation in the context of compulsory purchase, the forthcoming 2026 Revaluation and local taxation reform. The panel alerted stakeholders that the financial underpinning of land-use may be experiencing as much upheaval as the regulatory side.
- Interactive Q&A and Networking
The conference concluded with a live Q&A session giving delegates the chance to test immediate implications of the reforms, followed by networking.
What this means going forward
The land-use sector is at a critical inflection point. With major policy, legal and structural changes imminent, practitioners, developers, local authorities and investors alike must now re-assess their strategies. Key next steps will include:
- Monitoring the passage and details of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025 and how it reshapes local plans and decision-making.
- Tracking leasehold reform and how it impacts housing delivery and the private rented sector.
- Preparing for new valuation regimes, taxation changes and compulsory purchase mechanics.
- Ensuring environmental obligations such as biodiversity net gain are not sidelined in the push for rapid delivery.
- Understanding how regional governance changes will affect the planning system, and positioning accordingly.
Tim Morshead KC, joint Head of Chambers, said “It was a pleasure to welcome for another year so many representatives of the different parts of this industry from across the country: a fascinating and interactive discussion of the most significant legal and structural features of the current land-use landscape, shaped by invaluable insights from industry insiders, policy-makers, investors and sector specialists. Thanks especially to Sir Andy Street, who after a stimulating keynote speech took the floor for a spirited interactive discussion: it was a special privilege that the conference again had such a generous contribution from such a distinguished participant in the field of practical politics.”
Landmark’s annual Land Use Conference is a key event in our calendar; look out for details of our 2026 conference in the coming months.
