20 January 2025

Our CEO, Anna Strongman’s, predictions for 2025

Declaring itself a ‘mission-driven’ government, Labour set its focus in 2024 on the first of its five missions – looking to kick start growth. One area of government focus is planning reform, including the proposed changes to National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

This is a positive move, the first step in unlocking the potential of many sectors in our economy – the science and innovation sector being key.  Not only for wider UK prosperity but to address challenges including health, climate change, energy use and food and water security around the globe.

Real estate is an enabler of this science and innovation.  Creating a range of workspaces for ideas to grow and develop – alongside connected, attractive and comfortable places for people to live.

But even within real estate, we need to go beyond bricks and mortar.  At a minimum, we can ensure top functioning buildings and spaces, but as enablers, we can do more to signpost business support; promote access to talent and investment; and help tell the story – maybe even inspire future generations along the way.

In this sense, places themselves can be mission based – fueled by academics, researchers, businesses and the wider community working towards common goals based on positive impact.  The physical landscape can help here, creating formal and informal spaces to develop shared aspiration.

The real estate industry has evolved to rise to this challenge.  A significant amount of new life sciences or R&D space has launched onto the market this year, and more investment and development is set to come forward in 2025.  Real estate leaders are expanding their operational offer; products are diversifying and improving in function and design; and the scale and ambition of science-led development is expanding.  Our own developments are increasing science and residential led i.e. by attracting talent we will support research and development on our large-scale sites and vice versa.

Private and public sectors must work together in 2025 to make these changes happen.  We need ‘mission-driven’ government to be aligned with the industry’s ‘mission-based’ developments.

There is a need for this private and public sector collaboration at every level – through funding, delivery and strategic partnerships. Our experience in building partnerships has shown that success is driven by aligned objectives, shared vision and compromise on approach.

If we, as a sector, can continue to evolve – and work hard to build partnerships that matter – we can support the great minds and entrepreneurs that will secure the UK’s growth and solve problems to build a better global future.