Sean Houlston joined JMW Solicitors in Manchester this week for their Residential Development Roundtable, an event that brought together a wide range of professionals from across the property and construction sector to discuss the realities of delivering homes in today’s complex environment.
Hosted by the JMW Real Estate team, the roundtable explored the full journey of residential development, from early land considerations through to planning, delivery, and long-term responsibilities. Contributors shared first-hand perspectives on the pressures facing developers, including Biodiversity Net Gain, the Building Safety Act, tightening regulation, and a challenging tax landscape.
The session also highlighted the need for closer collaboration across the sector if the country is to deliver high quality, sustainable homes at the scale communities increasingly expect. Planning reform, skills shortages and the capacity of local authorities were central themes throughout the discussion.
Sean welcomed the opportunity to share insight from the National Federation of Builders, particularly around the barriers affecting small and medium sized builders and the long-term reforms needed to support a more balanced development pipeline.
Speaking after the event, Sean said:
“This was an extremely valuable conversation, bringing together people who understand the realities of development on the ground. I was pleased to contribute the sector’s perspective and grateful to JMW for hosting such a constructive and well-focused session.”
