Kickstart your day with us by collecting your badge and enjoying a light breakfast with freshly brewed coffee and pastries. Take this opportunity to connect with other attendees before the National Planning Conference officially begins.

This session will explore recent updates to planning legislation and the NPPF, focusing on how the reforms are being implemented in practice.

9:15 - 9.55, Stage 1

Speakers:

Fiona Simpson

Director of Planning

The Scottish Government

Joanna Averley

Chief Planner

Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government

Neil Hemington

Chief Planner - Wales

Planning Directorate

Discover how artificial intelligence is reshaping planning decisions, the role of the golden thread of data, and why cross-sector collaboration is vital to a smarter planning system. We’ll also explore key challenges in adopting digital transformation.

10.00 - 10.40, Stage 1

Speakers:

Dr Wei Yang

Founder & CEO

Digital Task Force for Planning

Laurie Cunningham

CTO

TerraQuest & Planning Portal

Stefan Webb

Principle Partner

TX Impact

Amir Hussain

Founder and CEO

Yeme Tech

Joshua Singh

Regeneration Team Leader

Sandwell Council

We’ll assess progress toward the 1.5 million homes target, explore how to make affordable housing viable for all stakeholders, and discuss unlocking land and stalled sites while balancing urban density and suburban growth.

11:00 - 11.40, Stage 1

Speakers:

Anna Sinnott

Director of planning Consultancy

Be First

Ian McDermott

CEO

Peabody

This panel will discuss the impact of policies like Biodiversity Net Gain and nutrient neutrality, how to address green belt constraints, and the integration of climate goals into planning for net zero.

11:45 - 12.25, Stage 1

Speakers:

Tara Gbolade

Founder

Gbolade Design Studio

Oliver Lewis

CEO

Joe's Blooms

Jan Bessell

Strategic Planning Advisor

Pinsent Masons

Sponsor

This session will highlight the critical role of renewable energy, transport and utilities in enabling housing delivery, explore innovative funding models, examine the evolving NSIPs regime, and showcase how collaboration can drive progress.

Speakers:

Judith Dapaah

Onshore Consent Manager

RWE

Scott Witchalls

Director of Transport and Infrastructure

Stantec

Catherine Anderson

Director

WPS

Dan Nicholls

Chief Product Officer

SNRG

How will new towns contribute to the national housing targets? Learn from past, what succeeded and what didn’t, and what this means for delivering the next generation of sustainable, well-planned communities.

12.30 - 13.10, Stage 1

Speakers:

Dr Riette Oosthuizen

Head of Planning

HTA Design LLP

Professor John Sturzaker

Chair of Planning

University of Hertfordshire

Fionnula Lennon

Head of Garden Communities

Homes England

Explore how devolved powers and combined authorities are transforming regional development. From metro mayors leading housing and infrastructure strategies to councils working together to accelerate delivery, explore how local collaboration is driving meaningful, place-based change aligned with national priorities. Learn how to overcome barriers to cross-council planning and unlock the full potential of devolved governance.

14.55-15.35, Stage 1

Sponsor

This session will examine how to streamline decision-making by reducing bottlenecks, address ongoing capacity challenges within local authorities, and reflect on positive changes seen since recent planning reforms.

11.00 - 11.25, Stage 2

Speakers:

Craig McLaren

National Planning Improvement Champion

Improvement Service

Simon Wicks

Editor

The Planner

Join Dame Judith Hackett and RTPI Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Hills for an exclusive Q&A session on evolving Building Safety regulations.

11.30 - 12.00, Stage 2

Speakers:

Dame Judith Hackitt

British engineer

Civil servant

Victoria Hills

CEO

RTPI

As we move away from gas in new homes, planners are navigating grid constraints, net zero goals, and housing targets. This session offers practical solutions, backed by real-world case studies, on how integrated utility infrastructure can:

• Unlock grid-constrained sites
• Accelerate development readiness
• Cut costs for developers and residents
• Support compliance with the Future Homes Standard

12.00  - 13.00, Breakout Room 1

Speakers:

John Marsh

COO

BUUK Infrastructure

This session explores the critical relationship between housing delivery and economic growth in regional cities. Drawing on real-world examples and research, speakers will examine how planning, investment, and policy must align to unlock productivity, prosperity, and place-based outcomes.

12.15 - 13.00, Stage 2

Speakers:

Danny Collinis

Head of English Regions and Wales

Iceni Projects

Sponsor

This session explores the critical relationship between housing delivery and economic growth in regional cities. Drawing on real-world examples and research, speakers will examine how planning, investment, and policy must align to unlock productivity, prosperity, and place-based outcomes.

We’ll explore how land classification influences planning decisions, assess the viability and permissions impacted by land categorisation, and consider current government policies on land use. The panel will also discuss how to unlock land for development while balancing environmental protection and economic growth.

Speakers:

Dan Williams

Chief Revenue Officer

TerraQuest & Planning Portal

Rebecca Wilson

Head of Planning

Marrons

Rebecca Phillips

Interim Chief Planning Inspector

The Planning Inspectorate

Mark Skillbeck

UK Planning Director

Taylor Wimpey plc

Strategic planning, new towns, digital innovation, and delivery are firmly back on the Government’s agenda, placing planning at the centre of national priorities. But is the sector ready to meet the moment, and how should planners respond?

15.55  - 16.45, Stage 1

Speakers:

Tom Venables

Director

Priors and Partners

Joanna Averley

Director

Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government

Dr Wei Yang

Founder & CEO

Digital Task Force for Planning

Pooja Agrawal

Founder and CEO

Public Practice

Sponsor