At Cop 26 in Glasgow last October, world leaders pledged to end deforestation, move away from coal and curb methane emissions, amongst many other revised targets.

Town centres and high streets have traditionally been the focus of urban life, whether this is somewhere like London - often described as ‘a collection of villages’ - or a market or regional town.

The Government’s "once in a generation" proposed reforms to the planning system have made the headlines in recent months as radical changes have been outlined.

We brought together leading experts from Local Authority Building Control and the National Fire Chiefs Council Building Safety Programme Team to share their views on the new Building Safety Bill and Fire Safety Bill.

Our Director of Building Control, Patrick Cunningham, looks ahead to the biggest transformation in Building Control services in his working life.

Our changing shopping and working habits are reshaping the role of our town centres, and this shift has been rapidly accelerated by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Conroy, Property Director at Capita, explains how local authorities can structure property development partnerships to make sure that residents and local businesses are projects’ major beneficiaries

Many people believe that the Covid-19 pandemic will be a catalyst for lasting change in the UK’s towns, cities and local communities.

In this session, which initially took place at the MJ Future Forum North on 18 March 2021, we look at a range of possibilities and analyse the practical steps local authorities can take to get to shape their future place.

Patrick Cunningham, our Director of Building Control, explains why the UK needs more low-carbon homes to reach its net zero emissions target, and how stronger building regulations can help.