How PropTech is powering cutting-edge placemaking

True regeneration is about creating lasting, sustainable places where communities can thrive. It’s an objective which has remained consistent for decades, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t find innovative new approaches to delivery.

PropTech – the application of technology to property and place – has become a powerful tool to help us shape delivery, and elevate our impact, across the country.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak alongside the UK PropTech Association (UKPA) at a panel event titled ‘Building Resilience & Growth in the Year Ahead.’ It was hosted at Google’s impressive UK headquarters at Kings Cross in London.

The session brought together leaders from the built environment, public sector, and technology industry. We were joined by representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, SEGRO, PUBLIC, Alpha Property Insight and others.

Marking the launch of the UKPA’s new report, ‘The Opportunity for PropTech’, the event proved both insightful and timely, with a strong focus on how PropTech can support more efficient, resilient, and inclusive regeneration.

Both for local authorities seeking to unlock growth, and for private sector partners focussed on delivery, PropTech is enabling smarter, faster and more collaborative partnerships.

For example, The UKPA has estimated that technology can accelerate delivery by 80-90% and lead to a 1500% increase in community engagement.

We’re already seeing this impact in our work – from modelling different masterplan options in real-time, improving community engagement through digital tools, or using data to track sustainability outcomes. Technology is helping us, and our partners, deliver places more quickly and with greater impact.

Whether in Oldham, Salford, Bradford, Solihull, or Stevenage technology is supporting regeneration which is delivering thousands of new homes, workspaces, retail, and public spaces.

For example, we are using cutting-edge approaches to measure and improve our sustainable impact. This includes adopting CarboniCa, our parent company – Morgan Sindall’s – in house carbon reduction tool. It is designed to analyse and suggest low carbon alternative delivery solutions. We also use Waste Desk, which provides real-time analysis of waste breakdowns and landfill diversions.

To support localised social value strategies, we can leverage rich data to target investment where it can have the biggest impact. Across the country, we are also making use of tools such as Commonplace to engage with communities – especially those which are often hard to reach.

For local authorities’ access to better insights and more efficient processes is supporting bold and dynamic decision making in a way which enables councils to navigate constrained budgets. Whether through the introduction of AI to speed up planning decisions, or innovative transport strategies which make use of real-time data.

Taken together, PropTech strengthens our partnerships, supports our sustainability goals, and aligns with our commitment to delivering positive impact for communities.

Across the built environment there is much to gain from embracing digital transformation – we have an exciting opportunity to lead that change. With the right tools and the right mindset, we can work smarter and collaborate better. It’s a means to create the resilient, future-ready places our towns and cities deserve.