Influence and Advocacy Monthly Update – May 2025

UKREiiF 2025: RICS at the Heart of the Built Environment Conversation

At this year’s UKREiiF in Leeds, over 16,000 professionals from across the real estate and infrastructure sectors came together to shape the future of the built environment. RICS proudly partnered with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to host the Built Environment Lounge - a dynamic hub for networking, thought leadership, and collaboration.

Key Highlights from the Built Environment Lounge:

• Delivering 1.5 Million New Homes - A series of roundtables and panel discussions explored how to meet the UK’s housing targets while ensuring quality and sustainability. Topics included the role of standards, regulation, and building codes in delivering low-carbon, high-quality homes. Notable contributors included Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister for Housing and Planning, and Bill Esterson MP, Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.
• Member Receptions on Clean Energy and New Towns - RICS hosted member receptions focused on clean energy infrastructure with Tom Hayes MP, National Clean Energy Mission Champion, and the development of new towns with Chris Curtis MP - sharing his insight as MP for Milton Keynes, one of the original new towns.
• Championing the Next Generation of Built Environment Professionals - In a powerful session on talent and inclusion, RICS Governing Council members Alison Cosa FRICS and Sunny-Thomas Obasuyi MRICS shared personal stories and discussed how the sector can break down barriers to entry, foster diversity, and build a future-ready workforce.
   

Planning reform and housing delivery

• RICS submitted further evidence to MPs in May following our April parliamentary sessions on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and land value capture. This latest submission highlights opportunities to improve housing market health, address funding gaps, and support SMEs - particularly considering Natural England’s expanding role and the Nature Restoration Fund.
• We continue to engage with senior government advisors on reforms to Planning Practice Guidance, focusing on enhancing planning viability and increasing developer contributions to affordable housing.
• RICS also contributed expert evidence to the Construction Industry Council’s inquiry into the delivery of 1.5 million homes, part of a broader industry review of housing delivery processes.
• In early June, RICS will appear before the House of Lords Built Environment Committee to provide further expert testimony on housing delivery timelines, viability, and investment.
   

Influencing change at Westminster

• Strengthening Residential Property Regulation - RICS recently convened a group of House of Lords representatives to brief them on our standards and regulatory framework, highlighting how it upholds professionalism across the residential property sector. This engagement comes ahead of the government’s upcoming consultation on introducing mandatory qualifications for Managing Agents. RICS is proactively demonstrating the value of our professional body model in ensuring quality and accountability in the sector.
• Championing Built Environment Skills - In response to the UK Government’s proposed reforms to skills funding, RICS welcomed the decision to devolve adult skills and training budgets to local authorities -enabling better alignment with regional priorities. We also renewed our call for the introduction of a Built Environment GCSE in England, following successful rollouts in other parts of the UK, to inspire young people to pursue careers in the sector. Additionally, we supported recent industry efforts to safeguard funding for Level 7 apprenticeships, which are vital for professional qualifications supported by RICS.
• Collaborating to Secure the Warm Homes Plan - RICS joined over 50 organisations in urging the UK Government to honour its manifesto commitment by investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan. As the government reassesses its spending priorities, we stress the importance of keeping retrofitting and decarbonisation at the forefront. This investment is critical not only for economic growth but also for tackling fuel poverty, climate change, public health, and energy security.
   

Across the UK

• Northern Ireland: RICS was invited by the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Infrastructure to provide evidence on the qualification requirements for chartered surveyors involved in compulsory purchase. Drawing on member-led insights, RICS emphasised the critical importance of engaging suitably qualified professionals when working with acquiring authorities. The evidence highlighted the value RICS members bring to negotiations with affected landowners, ensuring fairness, expertise, and professional integrity.
• Wales: RICS submitted a response to the Welsh Government’s consultation on proposed changes to building control for higher-risk buildings. Our response underscored the need to embed professional qualifications at the heart of building safety reforms. Additionally, we contributed to the consultation on reforming permitted development rights - supporting measures to reduce pressure on planning authorities and promote the adoption of low-carbon technologies, as well as the fast-tracking of emergency affordable housing. However, RICS also raised concerns about the potential compromise in quality that could result from these accelerated processes.