This is a special invite only debate on the complex subject of the housing crisis and how to help the government deliver on its pledge to build 1.5m new high quality homes. The event aims to bring together a broad range of people with diverse expertise and interests in housing, through some cultured conversation over a Negroni/Nogroni and some food.

The discussion will be prompted by a series of provocations / challenges, which cover a comprehensive range of issues that are essential to the housing problem. Nothing need be prepared in advance as the talk format is informal and without an audience. The results, if useful, will be edited and presented in a short summary paper. With a collective voice documented, there is hope that some seeds of systemic change can begin to be sown.

To cover the breadth and difficulty of the subject, as well as how best to ‘offer help’ in a cohesive and collective manner, there will be initially two discussions with around 10-12 key participants each, chaired by Robin Nicholson and Nick Raynsford. Those involved likely share the same desire for positively addressing the housing problem and the delivery of new homes. As such the talks should be considered to be constructive and supportive of ideas.

The events will be held at AA School Of Architecture on the evenings of Tues 21st & Tues 28th January 2025, and last approximately 90mins each – longer if required, and stamina permitting! The team at “Negroni Talks...!” have worked closely with Andy Downey, Andy von Bradsky, Catherine Du Toit and Robin Nicholson to set up these roundtables. Whilst located in London, the focus of discussion will be very firmly on housing throughout all regions within the UK. Subject to how things progress, they may be the first in a series of events (nationwide) that continue to build upon outcomes and findings.

Provocations..........................................................................….

1. GOVERNANCE – is politics radical enough?

How can we help the government stipulate what housing it wants for its people throughout the nation? Can housing be fundamentally improved through greater government intervention?

2. INFRA-STRUCTURE – joining the dots?

Should housing be seen as being infra-structure and how do we facilitate the delivery of properly integrated housing nationwide? Can housing help to reinvigorate a sense of civic culture?

3. IMPACT – from climate change to loose change.

Can a greater focus upon ‘outcomes’ rather than actions, awards and aesthetics lead to better housing? Can the climate around housing be changed? How can housing have more positive and less negative impact across a broad range of criteria? Can we move housing away from an investment model of Risk and Return towards one of Risk/Return/Impact?

4. CONSUMER PRODUCT – the contribution to culture.

Has any other product remained as unchanged by its times as volume housing? Is there enough variety and choice of product on offer? Is the quality of product (build quality + quality of space) all that is possible in volume housing? If alternatives are possible then how can they be presented in a way that begins to win over the hearts and minds of the British Public? Can housing become defined less by Value and more by Values?

5. DELIVERY – meeting need not greed.

Who delivers housing and why? Can we escape the constraints imposed by the market? How can a greater range of providers & delivery models be enabled and what is the best way to create opportunities for a variety of scales of delivery from individual self-build upward?

6. DISTRIBUTION – locations locations locations.

Is it possible to create less uneven development growth nationwide? Will this help to deliver the right housing in the right places at a regional & local level?

7. PRICE POINT – viability vs possibility.

Price to build. Price to buy. How do we better interrogate price inflation in procurement (labour and material cost) and can there be an alternative pricing to existing market values? Can land price be taken out of the equation through new initiatives? How can property pricing be re-aligned with the realism of annual incomes as it was for past generations?

8. EXISTING vs NEW – to build or not to build that it is a question.

What percentage of the housing problem can be solved by existing housing stock? How much new build do we actually need?

9. TALKING TO THE PUBLIC – a new narrative for the nation.

How can we create excitement and mobilise community support for a changed system and improved quality of housing? Can a more convincing story be told about what is possible in housing that is both collective and cohesive, one that advocates innovation and offers fresh hope to younger generations?

10. CONFIDENCE – a renewed Vision & Purpose.

Housing can and should be a positive force for good. In the post-Brexit world of economic uncertainty how can housing help to foster a greater self-determinism for us as a nation and as individuals?

11. NIMBYISM – the culture of No.

How do we best address the latent nimbyism in us all and make a considerate case for change? Can a greater public confidence in Planning as a trustworthy and democratic process, more often result in permitted proposals being more accepted?

Contributors:

June Barnes Yolande Barnes Lord Best Shruti Bhargava Richard Blakeway Katharina Borsi Duncan Bowie Amy Burbidge Sophia De Sousa Ben Derbyshire Andy Downey Catherine du Toit Louise Duggan Peter Freeman Daisy Froud Johanna Gibbons Rose Grayston Toby Lloyd Hana Loftus Kate Macintosh Wolf Mangelsdorf Selina Mason Mariana Mazzucato Smith Mordak Robin Nicholson Anna Pagani Sowmya Parathasarathy Nick Raynsford Hilary Satchwell Ingrid Schroder Heather Thomas Julia Thrift Richard Upton Andy von Bradsky