Thames Estuary Development Conference; in association with Birketts

Birmingham City Council – Paul Kitson, Strategic Director – Place, Prosperity & Sustainability

Birmingham City Council are pioneering the cities development and regeneration. Planning sustainable growth through the city,  the masterplan is due for completion by 2031.  Improving the city centre transport hub by investing £600 million on the major redevelopment of New Street Station and an additional £128 million in the Metro extension. Aiming to create over 100,000 new jobs and delivering 6000 sustainable,  affordable homes.  Paul Kitson will be joining the session to discuss the current major projects and an insight into the Birmingham’s development masterplan.

Thames Estuary Growth Board – Kate Willard OBE, Thames Estuary Envoy and Chair

Kate is leading the charge to make the Thames Estuary the UK’s clean growth focal point by activating a high investment, high innovation, hydro economy. Going forward, Kate is keen to move away from the planning and focusing on the delivery of projects. Joining the conference to update delegates on everything from policy to upcoming new regeneration initiatives that the board are going to back.

London Resort Holdings – Andy Martin, Director of Strategy

As one of Europe’s most ambitious resort developments ever, the £5bn London Resort will be principally based on the Swanscombe Peninsula in North Kent, set over approximately 465 hectares including a new dedicated access road to the A2 and easy access from Ebbsfleet International station. The scheme will transform the region and create thousands of new jobs. Andy joins the event to talk about London Resort Holding’s plans.

British Land – Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of the Canada Water Development & Head of Residential

Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of the Canada Water Development & Head of Residential at British Land, will chair the Oxford Cambridge Arc advisory panel, tasked with unlocking well designed, sustainable, and vibrant places across the region. Other members will consist of industry leaders, local representatives and subject area experts acting in a personal capacity, who will work with local government and other partners to inform their advice. With the full panel set to be unveiled soon, Emma will talk about priorities and plans for the Arc.

National Highways – Matt Palmer, Executive Director of Lower Thames Crossing

The Lower Thames Crossing is set to be the longest road tunnel in the UK. The major infrastructure project will require 50 new bridges and viaducts with a budget of £6.3bn, making the project a part of the biggest investment in the country’s road network for over 30 years. Almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London and easing congestion on the Dartford Crossing, the project will improve road journeys for millions of people every year. Matt joins us to give an update on the scheme.

BeFirst Regeneration – Caroline Harper, Deputy Managing Director

Be First is Barking & Dagenham’s (LBBD) urban regeneration company. They will deliver 50,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs over the next 20 years, with the profits made reinvested in public services. Be First is a unique company, with the business acumen of the private sector and the ethos of the public private sector and Caroline is well placed to contribute to the discussion on public/private collaboration to overcome growth challenges in the estuary.

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation – Ian Piper, Chief Executive

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation are developing the vision for Ebbsfleet in 2035; 15,000 new homes and the exciting new area dubbed Ebbsfleet International. In the immediate future Ian and his team are bringing forward a major new Riverside Quarter opening up a disused part of the River Thames Waterfront that has not been used for over 100 years and Ebbsfleet Central, the hub for mixed use space in the centre of Ebbsfleet Garden Village. The corporation recently submitted plans for a 320 home neighbourhood as part of the Northfleet Embankment West site, and Ian will share details of the project as it moves forward apace.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets – Sripriya Sudhakar, Head of Regeneration

Home to the Whitechapel Road site which will create 10,000 new homes with the Barts Life Sciences project, as well as Canary Wharf, which is undergoing a shift into the life sciences sector – Tower Hamlets is a borough with science and innovation at the heart of its place strategy.  Sripriya will discuss how these new science clusters will attract investment into the borough and create skilled, high wage jobs.

Urban Catalyst – Ken Dytor, Founder and Executive Chairman

Urban Catalyst are integral to regeneration and placemaking in the Thames Estuary, being responsible for the £1 billion Purfleet Centre Regeneration in partnership with Swan Housing and Thurrock Council. The multi-year scheme which will see an eventual 2,850 new homes alongside a vibrant town centre with shops, a new health centre, improved railway and transport facilities and employment and training opportunities developed was begun earlier this year. Ken is a central figure in the Thames Estuary project and will lend his expertise to the discussion.

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham – Lisa Dee, Head of Film

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham along with partners including BeFirst and Hackman Capital Partners are working to bring two new studio sites, with 18 sound stages in total to the borough. The two projects are expected to bring a combined £350 million to the area and create the potential for 1,800 new jobs as well as investment in training and educational programmes in the local area. Lisa will provide an update on the exciting project and how it fits into the wider creative estuary programme.

Kenex Thames Gateway Tramlink – Gordon Pratt, Managing Director

The Thames Gateway Tramlink is a sustainable public transport proposal situated in the heart of The Thames Estuary Growth area. The tram proposal will connect Dartford, Swanscombe, Gravesend, Ebbsfleet International and Grays, creating an integrated and enhanced local economy and supporting the Government’s net-zero target. The project has an initial cost of £800 million and an outline business case has been submitted to the Department for Transport with a decision due soon. Gordon will discuss the project and how it will enable further residential and mixed use development along its route.

Creative Estuary – Sarah Dance, Chair

Sarah is Chair of Creative Estuary, which is leading the Thames Estuary Production Corridor project. The project will add £3.4bn to the Estuary’s economy, create over 16,000 jobs and elevate the region to become a world leading cultural powerhouse. As Chair of the Creative Estuary, Sarah is helming a consortium of public sector and cultural organisations which will transform the visibility, identity and future of the area’s creative production infrastructure.

Jacobs – Tom Darcy, Regional Solutions & Technology Director Europe

Thomas is Jacobs Regional Solutions & Technology Director in Europe with more than 15 years’ experience working across the environmental, regeneration and infrastructure sectors. A designer by background, Thomas enjoys working with multi-disciplinary teams, stakeholders and creative technical professionals to re-shape project delivery and unlock unexpected benefits. At Jacobs, we’re challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $14 billion in revenue and a talent force of approximately 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector.

L&G Modular Homes – Rosie Toogood, Chief Executive Officer

Based at their factory in Leeds, Rosie has led the modular business through the start-up phase into volume production, developing the product portfolio, creating production capability and establishing customer relationships.

Rosie joined L&G in June 2017 from Rolls-Royce where she held senior roles in customer relations, new product introduction and global supply chain. She was Executive Vice President of the Compressors business unit, leading over 2,500 employees across operations located in US, UK, Germany and Singapore designing, manufacturing and procuring all compressor components for the Company’s aero engines. She also led the Trent 900 engine project through the latter stages of product development and into service on the A380 with some of the world’s most demanding Airlines.

Prior to joining Rolls-Royce, Rosie started her career with Ernst & Young becoming a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, holds an MBA in Strategy & Procurement & a degree in Chemistry & Materials.  She also served for eight years as a non-executive board member of Derwent Housing Association.

ALMCOR & Thames Enterprise Park – Graham Stark, Development Director

Thames Enterprise Park is 412 acres of brownfield land on the Thames Estuary in Thurrock which is being transformed into one of the most sustainable, well-connected and energy-innovative enterprise parks in the UK. Planning permission was recently secured for the initial stage of the project which will see 3.7 million sq ft of sustainable business space developed, creating up to 5,500 new jobs and adding more than £350 million per year to the Thames Estuary economy.

Modomo – John Baker, Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder

With strong financial backing, Modomo are keen to buy land and develop across the Thames Estuary Corridor. Their specialism is re-enegising land with untapped potential and are hoping to be integral to urban regeneration across the region. John joins us to detail their plans and engage with public and private sector alike for delivery support.

Purpose Driven Development – Carla Guerrera, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Carla is the Thames Estuary Growth Board’s first international board member and has been appointed to bring her international regeneration and development expertise to help create and implement a regeneration strategy for local authorities, developers, investors and other stakeholders to work together successfully. Carla has led globally award winning projects including the West Don Lands Waterfront Revitalization which will see the transformation of 2,000 acres of former brownfield land on the Toronto waterfront.

Port of London Authority – Alistair Gale, Director of Corporate Affairs, Strategy & Thames Vision

The Port of London Authority are getting ready to launch Thames Vision 2050, an updated development framework for the tidal river Thames. The framework will see long term major investment to drive sustainable economic growth, expand the transportation of freight into London and increase connectivity to road and rail infrastructure. Alistair will outline the 2050 vision and the significant investment that will come with it.

AECOM – Lucy Carraz, Director – Head of Government Sector, Buildings and Places – UK & Ireland

As Government Sector Lead for AECOM’s Building and Places business Lucy has a strong focus and passion for the sustainable legacies which are created through the projects AECOM deliver for central and local government clients. A key element of this is embedding sustainable development and resilience across AECOM’s projects by reducing the carbon impact as well as working with clients and industry partners to drive innovation in climate change, sustainable design and social value. Lucy sits on the global Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee for the AECOM Buildings & Places business to ensure the project teams represent the diversity of AECOM’s projects and the communities they serve.

Essex County Council – Cllr Kevin Bentley, Leader

More information to follow.

Transport For London – Lisa Labrousse, Principal City Planner – Growth & Masterplanning Team

More information to follow.

Birketts – Jonathan Hulley, Partner – Head of Social Housing

Jonathan is a Partner and Head of our highly-regarded Social Housing Team. He concentrates on growing the practice in other regions of the United Kingdom, including in London, the Midlands and the South East. Jonathan has a depth of understanding across many industries, but with considerable experience in landlord and tenant and housing management dispute resolution, dealing with disrepair claims, advising on Building and Fire Safety rules and regulations, handling service charge disputes in the First Tier Tribunal for public sector clients, including Housing Associations and Local Authorities, and works alongside fellow Partner John Scannell and the Social Housing Team to deliver a first rate service to Birketts’ social housing clients.
Jonathan is an acknowledged expert in the field of housing and leasehold management law and is also known for advising social housing providers on best practice, policy and procedure, including the consumer standards set by the social housing regulator which Housing Associations have to meet.

Birketts is a full service, top 100 UK law firm. With a rich heritage spanning over 150 years we’ve built an enviable track record advising businesses, institutions and individuals in the UK and internationally.
Operating from offices across East Anglia and London, the firm shares a common culture and approach to service delivery. Over 800 people are engaged in the business and our lawyers and support staff all have a shared commitment to deliver the best possible outcome for our clients. We are large enough to provide specialist expertise in most areas of the law, but not at the expense of maintaining a personal and tailored service.
Our unrivalled reputation for providing high quality legal advice and client service has resulted in the firm regularly achieving high level legal awards

Vattenfall – Alastair Thorpe, Account Director

Alastair is passionate about providing innovative energy efficiency and carbon reduction solutions into the development and housing sectors. Whether through selling renewables (solar and heat pumps) back in 2009 or more recently helping to grow a start-up (Switchee Ltd) from 8 people to 30 approx. the focus has always been on providing energy efficiency and carbon reduction solutions that work for developers, landlords and their residents. At Vattenfall, a Swedish state owned energy business with a commitment to Fossil Fuel Free Living Within One Generation, he is promoting the build out of large scale low-to-zero carbon heat networks across the UK. As Account Director Alastair is focussing on the London area with particular interest in the new Green Heat Super Network proposed in LB Bexley and Greenwich