Governments across the UK are committed to building new homes, improving the places where people live and addressing the environmental crisis.
The Welsh Government has a commitment of 20,000 new low-carbon social homes for rent by 2026, while in England there is a target of 1.5m new homes to be built during this Parliament.
This is an opportunity to create high-quality, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable places that deliver long-term value for people, communities, and the environment by leading with a landscape-led approach.
Against a backdrop of housing shortages and the climate and nature emergencies, the Landscape Institute is inviting attendees from across the built and natural environment to the National Housing and Regeneration Conference, taking place at Cardiff University on Thursday, 26 March 2026.
As ministers in both the Welsh and English governments seek faster, greener solutions to their housing and regeneration targets, the conference will explore how a Landscape-led approach can provide long-term value to people, place and nature, building resilient communities and economic growth.
With a keynote speech from James Hooker, Head of Planning Policy, Welsh Government, the conference will bring together industry experts and regional voices from across the built and natural environment to debate issues that are vital to delivering quality places, with attendees able to:
- Navigate policy & compliance: Gain essential insights into current Welsh and English planning policy, legislation and best practice for housing and regeneration.
- Master sustainable design: Understand the value of early landscape involvement, embed a landscape-led approach, and apply key concepts like SuDS and Net Benefit for Biodiversity to achieve better planning and design outcomes.
- Secure long-term value: Discuss how using landscape professionals can secure long-term investment for developers and local authorities.
- Network and build future collaborations: Connect with decision-makers and engage with professionals across the built and natural environment.
- Enhance skills and knowledge: This event is aligned with the LI’s CPD, specifically strengthening framework competencies in planning, water management, healthy places, and place management.
Welcoming non-members, as well as members, the conference will explore how a landscape-led approach is essential to delivering more for people, place and nature. A landscape-led approach sees the landscape not just as an aesthetic feature but as a fundamental framework that shapes sustainable, liveable and climate resilient places, delivering social, environmental and economic value in the short and long-term.
Rob Hughes, CEO, Landscape Institute, said: “Effective collaboration across the built and natural environment is key for delivering high quality people, place and nature-centric developments. The conference will provide a regional forum of discussion for the planning and design of successful new developments, bringing the industry together to raise challenges and outline solutions.
“By embracing a landscape-led approach, developers, investors, local authorities, contractors and other professionals across the built and natural environment can unlock multiple benefits. This conference will champion the role of landscape and set a path forward.”
