Better Places

In this episode recorded live at UKREiiF, Simon Gartshore, Deputy Managing Director at Kanda Consulting, sits down with Tom Sleigh, recently reelected as Chair of the City of London Corporation's Planning and Transportation Committee.

Tom reflects on his first year — including a record breaking number of applications — and shares his views on the pace of national planning reform, the near-final stages of the City Plan, and the challenge of balancing growth with heritage in the Square Mile.

The conversation also covers stalled development sites, the role of culture in Destination City, the arrival of AI in p...

In the latest episode of the Concilio x Kanda Better Places Podcast, Nick Dines is joined by Phil Rodgers to unpack the results across Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, alongside what Local Government Reorganisation could mean for the region. 
The conversation covers:  Labour losing overall control of Cambridge City Council  The Green Party’s breakthrough gains in Cambridge  The Liberal Democrats’ near-clean sweep in South Cambridgeshire  Huntingdonshire’s next rainbow coalition   The future structure of local government across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough  An essential listen for anyone involved in planning, development, infrastructure and public affairs across the Ox-Cam corridor. 

In the latest episode of the Better Places Podcast, Concilio’s Yiannis Sophocleous is joined by Dr Julie Grail, founder of The BIDs Business and one of the UK’s leading voices on Business Improvement Districts, to discuss the proposed overnight visitor levy and what it could mean for cities across England. 
With the consultation now closed, the debate has sharpened.  
The conversation explores the bigger themes behind the policy, including:  Whether the levy can operate as a genuine growth tool  The importance of governance, transparency and ringfencing  The impact on competitiveness and the visitor economy  Lessons from internatio...

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Concilio’s Nick Dines and Sehj Kaur sit down with Jessica Tarlov, one of the most influential Democratic voices in the United States, for a conversation on the changing shape of left-wing politics.

The discussion centres on the rise of Zohran Mamdani, whose victory in New York has captured attention far beyond the US. From campaign energy and digital strategy to in-person organising and message discipline, Jessica explains why Mamdani broke through and why his relentless focus on affordability cut across traditional political divides. 

Drawing on he...

Mark Thomson, Planning Director at Savills, and Rosie Ashton, Design Manager at Verv-life, join Concilio’s Siddo and Rochelle to discuss how co-living tackles the housing crisis and urban loneliness.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer and Account Executive Rochelle Blakeman, sit down with Mark Thomson, Planning Director at Savills, and Rosie Ashton, Design Manager at Verv-life, to discuss the rise of co-living, what it is, who it’s for, and whether it can help tackle two of London’s biggest challenges: the housing crisis and urban loneliness.

Key poin...

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Siddo Dwyer sits down with Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council and Deputy Chair of London Councils, holding the Housing and Regeneration brief.

From her early career as a secondary school teacher in East London to leading one of the capital’s most dynamic regeneration stories, Cllr Williams brings a rare blend of people-first instincts and ambitious, forward-looking leadership. Since taking the helm in 2021, she’s been driving an ambitious agenda: delivering high-quality homes, nurturing culture as a catalyst for growth, creative place-making strategies and shaping neighb...

In the latest episode of the Better Places Podcast, Concilio’s Sam Griffiths is joined by Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics, to discuss the upcoming local elections in London in May 2026.

Tony is the leading academic expert on London’s government and politics, and this fascinating discussion explores the forces changing London politically and how they are making the elections next year increasingly hard to predict.

The topics Tony and Sam cover include:

- How is the rise of so-called ‘Pro-Gaza independent’ groups in parts of East London going to challeng...

The UK’s #1 ranked panning lawyer, Simon Ricketts, joins the podcast to discuss the Government’s package of support for housebuilding in London.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places Podcast we were joined by the UK’s #1 ranked Planning Lawyer, Simon Ricketts, to discuss the Government and Sadiq Khan’s announcement of 23rd October on a series of measures that can support housebuilding in London.

The housing crisis in London is real, with Molior reporting that private construction starts totalled just 3,248 homes in the first three quarters of 2025 and likely 5,000 for the year. One in six...

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places Podcast, we sat down with James Johnson, Founding Partner of JL Partners, to explore how Reform can win a majority in 2029. 

James previously served as the Senior Opinion Research and Strategy Advisor to Prime Minister Theresa May. JL Partners are one of the UK's most accurate pollsters (and one of the very few to project a win for Donald Trump in the 2024 US election).

James delves into the explosive rise of Reform UK, sharing Friderichs Advisory Partners and JL Partners latest in-depth polling and ground-level voter analysis dat...

In Our Public Spaces, High Streets & the Experience Economy

At this year’s Labour Party Conference, one of the key themes was the urgent need to build more homes and restore confidence in the market. But as our panel discussed, London’s future isn’t just about housing numbers - it’s also about placemaking, culture, and the experience economy.

Hosted by Concilio’s Yiannis Sophocleous and Siddo Dwyer, we asked: How do we Make London Fun Again?

Our brilliant panel:

Cllr Geoff Barraclough - Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Development, Westminster City Counc...

London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE joins Concilio’s Account Director Siddo Dwyer to discuss the future of a greener London.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer sits down with Mete Coban MBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy.

From growing up in a council flat in Hackney to shaping London’s city-wide response to the climate crisis, Mete brings both lived experience and bold vision to one of the capital’s most urgent challenges. Previously Hackney’s youngest ever councillor and a trailbla...

Portland Design’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Ibrahim joins Concilio’s Account Director Siddo Dwyer to discuss human-centred placeshaping and future-ready retail.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places Podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer sits down with Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design and one of the UK’s leading voices on human-centred placeshaping and future-ready retail, to explore how rapid change is rewriting the rules of design and development.

Key points discussed: The evolution of Portland from retail design agency to global strategic consultancy The importance of connection, experience, and belonging in successful places C...

Chief Executive of Huntingdonshire District Council, Michelle Sacks, and the CEO of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Horobin, join Nick Dines to explain economic growth opportunities for the County.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director Nick Dines is joined by the Chief Executive of Huntingdonshire District Council, Michelle Sacks, and the CEO of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, Michelle Horobin.

The conversation explores: 

Cambridge's global reputation in science and technology - and how that success can benefit the wider County  The contribution of sectors like logistics, advanced manu...

From grassroots football to the council leadership, Enfield’s Leader shares his vision for a fairer, safer and more ambitious borough.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director Nick Dines is joined by Cllr Ergin Erbil, Leader of Enfield Council.

The conversation covers:

Local leadership and the shift from Deputy to Leader of the Council Policing and Operation Pisces – tackling anti-social behaviour, drug crime and public safety The Enfield Local Plan – including Green Belt proposals, family housing delivery, and industrial land Major development at Meridian Water  The role of Angel Yar...

Chief Executive of Hackney Wick and Fish Island CDT, Patrick Scally, joins Nick Dines to explore how grassroots leadership, long-term stewardship and community collaboration are reshaping regeneration in East London.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director Nick Dines is joined by Patrick Scally, Chief Executive of Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust (CDT).

The conversation explores:

How the CDT was formed in response to rapid regeneration after the Olympics The long-term lease at 290 Wallis Road and how the CDT delivers a meanwhile-use model rooted in the ci...

How the Cambridge Growth Company is setting the stage for infrastructure-led, inclusive development.

Peter Freeman, Chairman of the Cambridge Growth Company and co-founder of Argent, joins Better Places to share a bold vision for Cambridge’s future. Drawing on his experience delivering major regeneration projects such as King’s Cross, Peter outlines how the newly established Growth Company will tackle the city’s most pressing infrastructure challenges.

With Cambridge facing mounting pressures on transport, water, and energy, the Growth Company’s “infrastructure-first” approach aims to unlock sustainable development at scale, combining new homes, jobs, schools, and public space...

Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Peray Ahmet, joins Concilio’s Account Director Siddo Dwyer for a conversation on housing, inclusive growth and estate regeneration.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer sits down with Cllr Peray Ahmet, Leader of Haringey Council. 

Since becoming Leader in 2021, Peray has overseen a shift in the borough’s trajectory: restoring confidence in housing delivery, embedding a renewed focus on inclusive growth, and retelling the story of a borough with ambition.

The conversation explores:

What it means to lead a borough...

Leader of Harlow Council, Cllr Dan Swords, joins Concilio’s Nick Dines and Salvatore Pagdades to discuss the bold and ambitious plans for Harlow’s future.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director Nick Dines and Account Executive Salvatore Pagdades sit down with Cllr Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council.
Key points discussed:

·      Dan’s six ‘missions’ for the council
·      Building Harlow’s Future plan - including bold town centre regeneration plans
·      Harlow and Gilston Garden Town
·      Harlow Growth Board and its new Chair
·      Influence of Sir Frederick Gibberd’s New Town <...

Newly elected Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation, Tom Sleigh, joins Concilio’s Associate Director Luke Tatton.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Associate Director Luke Tatton sits down with Tom Sleigh, newly elected Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee.

Key points discussed:

·      Fresh leadership at a pivotal time for the Square Mile

·      The Draft City Plan 2040 and its focus on retrofit, sustainability and growth

·      Major cultural investment, including the Barbican Renewal

·      Emerging...

Nick Dines speaks to the CEO of Hub about BTR, co-living and unlocking stalled sites.

On this episode of the Better Places Podcast, Concilio’s Nick Dines is joined by Robert Sloss, CEO of Hub, for a deep dive into how Build to Rent has evolved in the UK and what it takes to drive true regeneration. From transforming Maidenhead town centre to unlocking complex sites in Romford and Croydon, Robert discusses the power of institutional capital, the challenges of viability, and the future of co-living. 

A must-listen for developers, planners, and anyone shaping the future of...

Shaun joins Concllio's Managing Director to discuss commercial real estate in the City Fringe and how Compton seeks to stand out by challenging industry norms.

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In the latest edition of the Concilio Better Places podcast, Shaun Simons, founder of Compton, joined Concilio's Managing Director Nick Dines to discuss the evolving landscape of commercial real estate in London’s city fringe.

Shaun shared insights into Compton’s journey to its current role as a leading agency specialising in vibrant, creative districts. He highlighted the challenges of making commercial property more engaging, emphasising branding, storytelling, and commun...

How TfL’s land is being transformed into new homes, places, and genuine social value

In this episode of Better Places, Concilio’s Siddo Dwyer is joined by Graeme Craig, CEO of Places for London, and Mark Walker, the organisation’s Strategic Engagement Lead. Together they discuss how Places for London is reshaping the capital by unlocking land around transport hubs to deliver thousands of new homes and public spaces.

From Bollo Lane to Cockfosters, we explore how the team is tackling London’s biggest challenges - housing need, sustainability, and trust in development—while delivering value back...

Concilio’s Managing Director, Nick Dines, sat down with the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, at UKREiiF.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director, Nick Dines, sat down with the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, at UKREiiF to discuss Our Time is Now – the Mayor’s bold vision for unlocking the region’s full potential.

Paul highlighted the importance of ensuring growth benefits for the whole region – not just Cambridge, but also places like Peterborough, which he sees as having significant untapped potential. He committed to strategic infrastructu...

Leader of Ealing Council, Cllr Peter Mason, joins Concilio’s Managing Director Nick Dines to discuss housing, regeneration and Ealing’s future.

In this episode of the Better Places podcast, Cllr Peter Mason, Leader of Ealing Council, sits down with Concilio Managing Director Nick Dines to explore how Ealing is planning for a future built on housing delivery, local identity, and innovation.
 
They discuss the borough’s ambitious Local Plan, the 20-minute neighbourhood model, and how Ealing is preparing residents for new opportunities through the West London Tech Corridor and Old Oak Common. Mason also shares his tho...

Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation, Shravan Joshi, joins Concilio’s Account Director Luke Tatton for a deep dive into the Square Mile’s future.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Luke Tatton sits down with Shravan Joshi, Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the City of London Corporation, for a deep dive into the Square Mile’s future – providing insight into emerging policy, digital planning, and the next generation of talent and investment.

Shravan also discusses what’s next for the Planning...

Alex Woolf, COO of Romulus, on reimagining a former shopping centre for a new era of local living, leisure and flexible working.

In this episode of the Better Places podcast, Concilio’s Managing Director, Nick Dines, sits down with Alex Woolf, Chief Operating Officer at Romulus, to explore how the team turned the struggling Centre Court shopping centre into Wimbledon Quarter - a thriving, community-focused destination.

Alex shares the vision behind the transformation, from bringing in new uses like co-working, leisure and independent F&B, to building local partnerships and even launching a rooftop mushroom farm. Wi...

Leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, Cllr Dominic Twomey joins Concilio’s Account Director Siddo Dwyer to discuss how bold, community-focused leadership is transforming one of London's most dynamic boroughs.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer is joined by Cllr Dominic Twomey, Leader of Barking & Dagenham Council, to discuss how bold, community-oriented leadership is transforming this dynamic outer-London borough.

Dominic Twomey, a local resident turned council leader, is steering the borough through an unprecedented regeneration programme - delivering 50,000 homes and 20,000 jobs by 2037. In this insightful conversation, Dominic reveals:

...

In this must-listen episode of Concilio’s Better Places Podcast, Siddo Dwyer is joined by Chris Worrall and Eve McQuillan from Labour YIMBY, leading voices pushing for transformative housing policy within the Labour Party.

With Britain's housing system in crisis, Chris—a prominent housing policy expert—and Eve, who formerly led planning in Tower Hamlets, share their insights into how Labour can become the party of homebuilding, breaking down barriers to deliver genuinely affordable homes.

They discussed: The urgent need for planning reform to unlock stalled developments and overcome political gridlock. Practical solutions inspired by successful intern...

In this episode, we are joined by Councillor Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council. Stephen shares his journey from being first elected in 1998 to leading the council through significant transformations. He discusses the borough's industrial strategy, the collaboration with Imperial College, and the council's commitment to delivering better value for residents. Tune in to hear about the innovative approaches that have positioned Hammersmith and Fulham as a global tech hub and the efforts to ensure inclusive growth for the community.

The founder and CEO of MARK shares the 10 year story of how this iconic London building has been transformed 

In this episode, we explore one of London’s most ambitious regeneration projects—The Whiteley. 
With C C Land as the chief investor, the project is repurposing a historic shopping centre into a world-class mixed-use destination, featuring luxury homes, premium retail, and the UK’s first Six Senses hotel. 
Our guest, Marcus Meijer, founder and CEO of MARK, shares exclusive insights on:  The vision behind The Whiteley’s transformation  C C Land’s pivotal role in securing investment and d...

Camden Council’s Cabinet Member for New Homes & Community Investment, Cllr Nasrine Djemai joins Concilio’s Account Director Siddo Dwyer to discuss the future of Camden.

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer sits down with Cllr Nasrine Djemai, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Community Investment at Camden Council, to explore the future of Camden, diving into how Camden is shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future.


Key points discussed:

Camden’s Community Investment Programme Affordable Housing & temporary accommodation pressures Climate-focused Future Neighbourhood programmes The repurpos...

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast, Managing Director Nick Dines sits down with Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor of London for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, and Lisa Fairmaner, Head of the London Plan, to explore how the London Plan can serve as a foundation for future Spatial Development Strategies across England.

Key points discussed:

How the London Plan can serve as a model for regional spatial development strategies The role of devolution in shaping planning policy across England  How the new regional bodies and unitary councils should seek to find common gro...

Sarah Cary discusses how White City is fostering innovation, sustainability, and community through thoughtful design and strategic collaboration.

In this episode of Better Places, Concilio's Managing Director Nick Dines in conversation with Sarah Cary, White City Development Director at Imperial College London.

Sarah discusses the White City Deep Tech Campus, a thriving hub for innovation, sustainability, and community impact. She and Nick discuss how Imperial is shaping a world-class ecosystem for research, entrepreneurship, and collaboration.

Key Topics discussed: Innovation at White City – How cutting-edge research in AI, biotech, and robotics is driving real-world impact. Su...

On this episode of the Better Places Podcast, Cllr Geoff Barraclough, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development at Westminster City Council, joins Account Director, Yiannis Sophocleous for an discussion about the administration’s key priorities for the year ahead, the City Plan Partial Review, and major policy developments at both the London and national level.
Key topics discussed include: Reflections on almost three years in administration and key priorities for the coming year. The Westminster City Plan Partial Review and the Retrofit-First policy—what these changes mean for planning and development in the borough The revival of Oxford Stre...

In this episode, we explore how the planning system approaches data centres, what their designation as Critical National Infrastructure means, and the emerging proposals for AI Growth Zones.
Other key topics we discuss include:
- The Labour Party’s manifesto pledge to remove planning barriers for data centres.
- The Government’s recent classification of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure.
- The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and its impact on data centres.
- The AI Opportunities Action Plan and what it means for future development.
- The challenges of energy consumption, the...

In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast. Account Director Siddo Dwyer sat down with Lambeth’s Cllr Rezina Chowdhury – Deputy Leader of the Council (Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air). 

The episode focused on current challenges and policies that she has overseen not just in Lambeth but ones that have had a London wide effect. This included:

How Cllr Chowdhury’s upbringing and decade of experience in local government have shaped her policy outlook Her message to developers about helping shape the borough of Lambeth and it being open to sustainable development Lambeth’s race to ach...

We are delighted to share with you the first episode of Concilio’s Better Places podcast for 2025. Our Managing Director Nick Dines sat down with the country’s highest rated planning solicitor – Simon Ricketts, Partner at Town Legal.
In this latest episode of the Better Places podcast Nick and Simon sought to summarise the key planning and local government changes announced by the Government in the run-up to Christmas, discussing:

The 12-week requirement for local authorities to commit to a new timetable for Local Plans What the presumption in favour of sustainable development must have real teeth means...

On the latest edition of the Concilio Better Places Podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer sat down with the Leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Kieron Williams. 

The interview focussed on the Southwark Council’s recently published Securing the Future of Council Housing report. Over 100 councils formed an unprecedented coalition to identify five practical solutions for a fairer funding deal and reforms to kick-start the construction of new homes.

This surrounds an ongoing debate about plans to retrofit council properties and measures to bring their stock up to decent standard. We also discuss his journey as Leader of the...

On the latest edition of Better Places, we sat down with leading industry professionals across the property and planning sectors. We were delighted to interview Andy Cox - Director at Trigon development managers, Cat Fraser – Director at Turley planners, and Arron Taggart – Head of UK Investment at Cheyne Capital on their perspective as professionals in the field.
Hosted by our very own Siddo Dwyer, this was a fascinating discussion that sparked a lively debate on how our panel have shaped award-winning places and buildings across London, examining scheme viability, the need for community engagement and dynamics dominating the real esta...

On our latest episode, Director Catherine Rose and Account Director Siddo Dwyer hosted a live recording of our Better Places Podcast at Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. The panel explored the ways in which English devolution can be delivered in support of the new Labour government’s mission to build 1.5million new homes, how to deliver the required infrastructure to support this and how to bring local communities along through effective engagement. 
The panel included: 
John Denham – Director of English Labour Network 
Cllr Vince Maple – Leader, Medway Council 
Cllr Anthony Okereke – Leader, Greenwich Council 
Brenda Dacres – Mayo...