Agenda: Morning Plenary
09:30 – 11:00
Chair’s Welcome
Liberty Howson, Fast Stream
People-Powered: Building the Profession the Rewired State Needs
The state is being rewired, and government property is being rewired with it, which means the people who run it need to change too. This is a presentation about what it takes to build a profession confident enough, skilled enough, and connected enough to make that shift work, in every postcode, starting now.
Heritage Investment Prospectus
More details soon…
Rewiring Property: Delivering the Nation’s New Ambition
As power, funding and accountability move out of Whitehall, the government’s £200 billion estate must move with it, becoming a genuine partner to local and regional leaders rather than a distant landlord.
This keynote from Mark Chivers explores the draft Government Property Strategy 2026-30 and invites the profession to help shape how property delivers good growth, better public services, and disciplined stewardship in every part of the country.
Agenda: Work Sessions
11:30 Details coming soon
12:00 Climate Resilient Estates: Protecting Value and Services in a Changing World
As climate risks intensify, the public sector must ensure their estates are resilient, productive and prepared for the future. This panel will explore how estate leaders are protecting asset value, maintaining critical services and responding to emerging climate challenges.
Drawing on national and local government perspectives, speakers will share lessons learned, practical approaches to climate adaptation and the opportunities created by resilient estates, from healthier workplaces and improved productivity to lower costs, greater sustainability and stronger long-term value. Experts will also examine how climate-resilient estates can support delivery of the Government’s Greening Government Commitments, helping organisations reduce emissions, improve energy performance and create resilient, future-ready places that better serve people and communities in a changing world.
12:30 Building teams that deliver: Lessons from the National Biosecurity Centre
Delivering major government programmes requires more than technical excellence – it depends on bringing together the right people, governance and culture from the outset. Drawing on lessons learned from Defra’s National Biosecurity Centre programme, this session will explore how client teams, delivery partners and technical specialists can work together as a single high-performing team focused on shared outcomes.
Hear firsthand from the programme leaders as they discuss the critical role of partnership, leadership and accountability in driving programme success. Attendees will gain practical insights into creating the conditions for collaboration, establishing effective governance structures, and building the team dynamics needed to deliver complex programmes at scale.
Key takeaways:
- The characteristics of high-performing programme teams
- How partnership roles can accelerate delivery and improve outcomes
- The importance of culture, governance and leadership in programme success
- Practical lessons from the National Biosecurity Centre programme that can be applied across government projects
13:50 Details coming soon
14:20 Delivering a more flexible public estate: practical lessons from recent case law
As government estate strategies continue to prioritise flexibility, efficiency and value, many of the real challenges sit in how property arrangements are managed in practice. This session takes a practical look at recent case law affecting three key areas: consent to assignment, termination of option agreements and dilapidations. Henry Mahalski will focus on what these decisions mean for those managing public sector assets day to day, including how to reduce risk, avoid disputes and maintain flexibility across the estate. The session will draw out actionable insights to support better decision making in a constrained and evolving policy environment.
15:15 The Importance of National Pride in Government Infrastructure
15:45 Chair’s closing remarks
16:00 Drinks reception
