Reflections from UKREiiF 2026

By Camilla De Burghe, Associate Urban Designer, Pegasus Group

Thanks to Women in Planning, and with the support of Pegasus Group, I was given the opportunity to attend the event in Leeds this year. Like everyone else, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first time at UKREiiF. After it being compared to the Glastonbury of the real estate world, and with 16,000+ attendees, I prepared myself for a whirlwind of events, networking, and as with every event compared to Glastonbury, substantial rainfall!

After an outstanding pep talk from my uber driver to help me overcome a few pre-event nerves, day one started strong with the Women in Planning Yorkshire breakfast, featuring a panel discussion on the Planning and Infrastructure Act. For me, this was a simple but powerful reminder to go beyond ‘consultation’ and delivering meaningful engagement that aligns with both our personal and professional values. A few fantastic conversations on SUDS design and BNG later, I headed into the conference armed with an umbrella and a bag full of snacks – attending my first sessions on the viability of new communities, empowering women in the real estate sector, and the future of AI in design and agency.

More on key takeaways to come later in this blog…

Alongside the formal programme, the opportunity to connect with others across the sector formed some of my favourite UKREiiF moments. Whether it was having a chat in the burrito queue, bumping into familiar faces on the streets of Leeds, or making new friends at fringe events, all of these encounters left me feeling incredibly grateful to connect with inspiring people across the profession that had a shared passion for the built environment and the role that it plays in shaping communities.

Days two and three continued to (thankfully) offer some better weather and thought-provoking discussions. The Futures x Next Generation workshop on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) was particularly memorable, and I was grateful to contribute to discussions around how we attract, retain, and support young talent within the industry. It reinforced the idea that creating a more inclusive profession requires both structural change at industry, school, and university levels, alongside a willingness to challenge established ways of working.

My final UKREiiF event brought many of these themes together. Women and Girls in the Built Environment - A Unified Voice for Collective Action explored how the industry can move beyond discussion and towards coordinated, meaningful change. Seeing how 90+ organisations across the sector are coming together to take collective action via the Gender Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and provide a unified voice for women and girls in the industry felt like a historic moment to witness. Standout deliverables for the Gender MoU include creating a shared framework for annual impact tracking, providing a co-ordinated response to joint government consultations, championing gender responsive design, and delivering future infrastructure to build a foundation for gender equity.

Reflecting on wider conversations across the event, several key themes emerged:

• There needs to be a more visionary and strategic approach to the delivery of new communities (3000+ houses), with greater assurance that these schemes are technically robust and do not over-promise on housing numbers. Schemes of this scale are typically delivered over a 20-30 year period; these timescales should be recognised in the context of upfront infrastructure costs - one of the biggest delivery challenges.

• A ‘cookie cutter’ approach to place-making doesn’t work. From strategic master planning to hospitality, all sectors agreed that simply replicating what’s worked well and placing this model in another part of the country can easily fail. The focus needs to shift to really understanding local communities, their needs, and what makes a place special.

  
  

• AI will continue to evolve, and the short-term benefits of using it will often outweigh waiting for the ‘final’ version. Efficiency was the key word used in discussions; AI wasn’t seen as the tool to replace a human feedback loop however, it can be effectively used to unlock human hours through gathering and interpreting data.

  
  

• Viability continues to sit at the heart of the housing delivery challenge. Infrastructure costs, policy requirements, and return on land value are primary barriers to scheme delivery, with more to be done in terms of unlocking partnerships and value.

  
  

• For EDI, meaningful change starts with us all reflecting on what we can do to champion, mentor, or sponsor colleagues in the built environment. Being honest and open about our experiences is a powerful way to initiate collective action.  

  
  

After attending UKREiiF I can safely say it was a whirlwind, but in the best way; there were non-stop opportunities to attend insightful sessions, engage in discussions on key industry topics, and connect with a wide range of like-minded professionals across the industry. I am incredibly grateful to Women in Planning and UKREiiF for the opportunity to attend - it was an unforgettable experience.