Better Places

How can one of London’s most high-profile boroughs balance the challenges of funding reform, housing delivery and economic growth while shaping a long-term vision for its communities? And what will success look like for Kensington & Chelsea by 2030?Kanda Deputy Managing Director Simon Gartshore sits down with Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, to discuss the borough’s emerging K&C 2030 strategy and the opportunities and challenges that will shape its future.Building on the recently launched K&C 2030 consultation, Elizabeth reflects on the progress made since becoming Leader in 2017, from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s (RBKC) response to Grenfell to the delivery of key priorities for residents. The conversation explores the challenges of local government funding reform, the proposed high-value council tax surcharge, strategic relationships with regional and national government, and the future of the Bi-Borough partnership with Westminster City Council. Cllr Campbell also discusses lessons learned from the cyber-attack that affected council services, the borough's approach to investment, regeneration and housing delivery, and the role the built environment can play in supporting local priorities. The episode concludes with a look ahead to the ambitions of K&C 2030 and the legacy she hopes to leave for the Royal Borough.

How can a council at the heart of a global city deliver growth that local people can genuinely feel, while facing one of the toughest funding settlements in London? And what does it take to lead the borough that powers 4% of the UK’s GDP?Kanda Deputy Managing Director Simon Gartshore sits down with Cllr Paul Swaddle, Leader of Westminster City Council, to discuss the new administration’s priorities and the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of Westminster.Reflecting on his first five months as Leader following the Conservatives’ return to power in May, Paul sets out progress against his priorities for safe streets, a clean city, value for money and thriving growth. The conversation explores the impact of the Fair Funding Review, the council’s new growth statement why growth and planning are intrinsically linked, the case for fiscal devolution, and the importance of partnerships with businesses, BIDs and the property sector. Cllr Swaddle also discusses how Westminster is supporting development and housing delivery, the proposed overnight visitor levy and the high-value council tax surcharge. The episode concludes with a more personal look at how he balances council leadership with life outside the Town Hall, and why cooking is his favourite escape.

In the latest episode of Kanda’s Better Places Podcast, Allan Andrews, Director at Kanda and co-lead of Kanda’s new Midlands practice,  is joined by Andy Williams, Director of Economy at Birmingham City Council, to discuss what the city needs to do to convert one of Europe's largest regeneration pipelines into delivery on the ground.Three months into a newly created role, Andy sets out his thinking on inclusive growth, investor credibility and what the next 10 years might look like for Birmingham.Their conversation explores: With a population approaching 1.2 million and growing faster than London, an average age of 34, and five of the West Midlands' nine universities in one city, what does growth look like in Birmingham? What separates schemes that get delivered from those that stay in the brochure, and why credibility matters more as viability tightens The East Birmingham Mayoral Development Corporation as a "single front door" for investors, and the wider mayoral development zone out to Arden Cross and the airport Devolution in practice: business rate retention at Paradise, the Knowledge Quarter investment zone, and the case for 14–19 skills flexibility to tackle youth unemployment HS2 and Curzon Street: with trains expected in 2036, what will a 40-minute journey between the UK's two biggest cities mean for international investors? What a new administration means for pace, priorities and four years of decision-making stability Essential listening for anyone involved in regeneration, investment, planning and public affairs across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

What does the Oxford Street Development Corporation's first year tell us about the future of one of the world's most iconic high streets, and what should developers, investors and landowners expect from London's newest planning authority? Kanda’s Yiannis Sophocleous sits down with Nabeel Khan, Chief Executive of the Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC), to discuss the Corporation's journey from establishment to delivery and its ambitions for the future of Oxford Street.  Following the transfer of planning powers earlier this summer, Nabeel reflects on the OSDC's progress to date, its priorities for the years ahead and how it intends to work with developers, local authorities, businesses and community stakeholders to deliver the future of Oxford Street. The conversation also explores the practical implications of the OSDC becoming the Local Planning Authority. Namely, what applicants should know when bringing forward proposals, and the role of pedestrianisation, public realm improvements and regeneration in shaping the future of one of London's most important commercial hotspots into an experience-led destination. 

How can business leaders make themselves heard without hiding behind jargon, and how could Andy Burnham’s Prime Ministership change the way UK media operates? Cam Meads sits down with Jonathan Prynn, former Business Editor at the London Standard, who is about to join The Telegraph’s business team as Retail Editor. Jonathan argues that chief executives should back themselves and speak in a human voice rather than retreat into jargon, acronyms and financial ratios that never truly reach audiences. He explains why developers shouldn’t fear press scrutiny but should stop dismissing local opposition as ‘a bit of noise’, why the sector needs a better word than ‘viability’, and what housebuilding can learn from the way hospitality made its case. 

Just when the City Plan looked set to sail through, Matthew Pennycook stepped in. Simon Gartshore sits down with Tom Sleigh, Chairman of the City of London Corporation's Planning & Transportation Committee, for his first in-depth interview on the Minister's late intervention, relations with Heritage bodies, and what it all means for investor confidence in the Square Mile. 

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 planning practice, and what a reduced planning committee will mean for decision-making in one of the world's most important business districts.

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 international examples  The role of BIDs in shaping and delivering place-based funding  Looking beyond the levy itself, the discussion also reflects on the future of BIDs, the challenges facing town and city centres, and how partnership models must evolve in a changing political and economic climate. This is a timely and thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in place management, hospitality, planning and local government. 

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 her experience as a New Yorker and political insider, Jessica explores how issues such as housing costs and student debt are reshaping electoral coalitions. The conversation also looks at what UK politicians, particularly in cities like London, may be able to learn from this moment, and where direct comparisons fall short. The episode explores why voters are turning away from the status quo and focusing more on everyday economic issues.