The latest news from Brookbanks, April 2026

Welcome to our April 2026 newsletter. In this month's Brookbanks newsletter, learn more about how high-rise developments can be made more deliverable, with guidance on how you can reduce risk and protect viability. We're also looking back on our April webinar, where Annabel Le Lohe and Katherine Peers gave a rundown of Environmental Impact Assessments and how coordination can make a real impact on project delivery. Plus, there's a recap of this month's podcasts featuring two special guests. Paul Smith, Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group, and Tom Park, Associate Development Director at Caddick Developments. Also, find out which members of our team will be at UKREiiF as well as more about the CPD event we're co-hosting with the LPDF in May.

Webinar: Coordination for EIAs

This month, our lunchtime webinar was hosted by Annabel Le Lohe and Katherine Peers, who gave a rundown of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).

With extra insight from both a planning and specialist coordinator perspective, they talked through:

How to get the brief right for Environmental Impact Assessments
When you should begin EIAs
The common pitfalls projects fall into that can cause hold-ups
What the transition to outcomes-based assessments means for projects

If you missed it, watch back now via our YouTube channel to learn more about Environmental Impact Assessments more generally or to boost assessment coordination for your projects.

Watch back now

Making High Rise Developments Deliverable

High‑rise developments rarely fail through lack of ambition, but through risks that are identified too late. When planning, infrastructure, fire strategy, servicing and buildability are treated as separate exercises, schemes often look strong in concept but weaken rapidly at delivery, leading to redesign, delays and value erosion.

In our latest article, we explore why early, joined‑up thinking is essential for tall buildings, and how front‑end due diligence and integrated strategy can reduce risk, protect viability and create schemes that are genuinely deliverable.

Read the full article

April Podcasts by Brookbanks

This month, we had not one but two special guests join us on our podcast.

Paul Smith, Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group, joined Ben Wakeling to explore why we should be building homes at scale, how political and economic shifts have changed the country’s housing trajectory, and why today’s challenges are rooted in both historical decisions and modern pressures.

In episode two, Mat Capper, Director of Utilities and Jack Kenny, Associate Director of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Brookbanks, were joined by Tom Park, Associate Development Director at Caddick Developments. Their episode took a look at how energy pressures are impacting developments in the industry and logistics sector, and explored how these specific challenges can be tackled, outlining how projects can have the best chance of success.

Watch all our previous episodes on our YouTube channel to learn more about the latest industry updates and hear insights into planning, engineering, design, and infrastructure delivery.

Upcoming Events for Next Month

There’s less than a month to go until we will be at UKREiiF.

If you’d like to book a catch-up with any of our team members who will be attending, please reach out to them on LinkedIn or email us, and we’ll put you in touch.

CPD & Spring Drinks with LPDF

We’re really pleased to be partnering with the Land, Planning and Development Federation (LPDF) to host a CPD and Spring Drinks event in Manchester in May.

The event will be a great chance to learn more about best practices and techniques that enhance the value of strategic developments and to network over drinks.

Limited places are available, so email the LPDF now to book your place.

Email: info@lpdf.co.uk

Book Your Place

An advert for the Northern CPD Event and Spring Drinks being hosted by Brookbanks and the LPDF. The advert lists the the event as being on the 13th May 2026 at Cloud23, Manchester Deansgate Hotel. The words 'Book your place at info@lpdf.co.uk' are included in the footer.

Let’s Have a Catch-up

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter.

We work across the UK and are always happy to connect, either in person or online, to chat about industry challenges, policy updates, or how we can help with a project.

Drop Owen Smith, our Client Relationship Manager, an email and he will happily introduce you to any of our team.

Email: owen.smith@brookbanks.com

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View of a busy construction site with cranes and building structure under clear sky.

Podcast #18: Design of Transfer slabs and efficient structures

June 2, 2026

As development sites become more constrained and expectations around multi-use building designs continue to rise, structural engineering choices are playing an increasingly important role in successful delivery. In our latest podcast, “Design of Transfer slabs and efficient structures,” Ben is joined by Chris Vivian and Devi Varatharajan to explore current industry trends in concrete design. The discussion focuses on how transfer slabs impact construction efficiency, carbon footprints, and why early-stage engagement is critical to optimizing building design.

Group of students and teacher walking in a school courtyard with modern architecture and playground.

Delivering Education Infrastructure: Direct Delivery or Section 106 Contributions?

May 22, 2026

Education facilities play a vital role in shaping successful residential communities. Alongside providing essential school places for growing populations, they help create well-connected neighbourhoods, support long-term community wellbeing and contribute positively to placemaking outcomes. For developers bringing forward significant housing schemes, deciding how education infrastructure obligations should be delivered is rarely straightforward. In most cases, this involves either directly delivering a new education facility as part of the development, or making a financial contribution through a Section 106 Agreement to support provision elsewhere. Each approach carries implications for cost, programme, planning strategy and the long-term success of the development.

Aerial view of various vehicles driving on asphalt road near typical residential houses in suburban district on sunny day

Podcast Episode #17: Moving Places, Managing Noise

May 20, 2026

As development sites become more constrained and expectations around placemaking continue to rise, the interaction between transport planning and acoustics is playing an increasingly important role in successful design. In our latest podcast, “Moving Places, Managing Noise,” Ben Wakling is joined by Melanie A’Lee and Tom Quaife-Jones to explore how these two disciplines come together in practice. The discussion focuses on how early coordination between transport and noise specialists can improve scheme viability, reduce planning risk and ultimately create better places to live.

Our April 2026 Newsletter