My hope is for a clear outcome to the Brexit process that enables businesses to plan effectively and ensures the country avoids a cliff-edge scenario in April 2019.

Melanie Leech

This is critical for business and investor confidence, to ensure momentum behind the supply of high-quality homes and maintain our sector’s role in driving economic activity.

I expect regional authorities to continue setting a strong agenda and public-private sector partnerships will sit at the heart of this, particularly as pressure mounts to get shovels in the ground. While Brexit will dominate politics, this partnership – where both sides understand and accommodate the other side’s priorities and work towards a shared vision – will underpin success.

Thinking around the future of our high streets will continue to evolve. This needs to go much wider than the revolution in retail. The winners will be those that work together to ensure physical retail can adapt.

Resolution: To continue the BPF’s drive to ensure the built environment truly becomes a more diverse and inclusive business sector, and a sector that the government sees as a critical partner to its objectives, underpinning UK productivity, economic growth and wellbeing.

BPF Futures, our junior professional network, will also ensure the voice of our sector’s junior talent is heard. After all, they are the real estate sector’s future leaders.

Melanie Leech, chief executive at British Property Federation

Topics

2019 forecasts: what lies ahead