National event to shine spotlight on Sunderland's transformation

Sunderland will take centre stage at a nationally significant conference that will explore the built environment and the impact it has on people's lives. 

Expo Sunderland's Delivering the Future City conference - which is being delivered in partnership with the University of Sunderland - will take place on October 14 and 15 at City Hall, bringing together leading lights from sectors including built environment, public policy, investment, and innovation to explore how Sunderland is accelerating regeneration.

Now in its third year, the highly anticipated event will see government leaders, industry experts, investors, developers, academics, and business leaders descend on Riverside Sunderland to debate the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the future of UK cities.

This year's conference, delivered in partnership with the University of Sunderland and the BCO, will feature keynote speeches, panel debates and roundtable discussions on topics including planning reform and housing delivery, community building and placemaking, infrastructure and resilience, city centre activation and repopulation, and the skills and innovation that are needed to support the future workforce. 

The event will be chaired by Mark Easton, former Home Editor at the BBC, and will welcome more than 200 industry leaders each day, with contributions from around 20 speakers and panellists.

The conference comes at a pivotal time, as the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy and 2025 Spending Review set ambitious targets for business investment, innovation, and economic resilience.  In addition, a national target of 1.5 million new homes means that Sunderland and the wider North East can play a key role in housing delivery at scale and pace. The conference will preview a landmark Key Cities Network report - Turbocharging Housebuilding in Cities and Urban Areas - due to be launched in Parliament on 15 October.

Delegates will also explore how Sunderland's City Plan and the North East Combined Authority's Local Growth Plan align with the Government's growth ambitions, positioning the city and region as a prime location for investment.

Councillor Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for housing, regeneration and business, said: "Sunderland is increasingly held up as a city that is not only ambitious about its future, but actively driving change at a pace not seen for generations. 

"There is no mistaking that Sunderland is on an upward trajectory, with rapid regeneration that absolutely aligns with Government ambitions, and this event will showcase that to influential leaders from across the UK, ensuring we continue to attract public and private sector partnerships that deliver for us."

Professor Milan Radosavljevic, deputy vice chancellor (commercial) at the University of Sunderland said, "As sponsors of Expo Sunderland we're looking forward to once again supporting this important event.

"We're really proud to be part of a city on such a fantastic trajectory. Alongside our strong focus on preparing students for professions and careers in critical and emerging sectors, we're committed to the development of research, innovation and knowledge exchange that will create opportunities for everyone who lives, works, and studies here."

Key themes that will be covered at the flagship event include housing and communities, exploring opportunities to accelerate housing delivery while ensuring design quality and community cohesion; infrastructure and resilience, considering the role of transport, digital connectivity, and low-carbon solutions in supporting growth; city centre revitalisation, debating how to reactivate high streets, attract entrepreneurs, and create vibrant day and night economies; and the future of work, addressing how advanced manufacturing, digital technology and skills development will drive inclusive opportunities.

Ahead of the main conference, a roundtable discussion will take place on October 13, bringing together thought leaders to discuss how cities can disrupt outdated development systems and establish new models of growth. The outcomes will help frame discussions throughout the conference.

Alex Stork, chair of the BCO North committee said: "We're incredibly proud to be collaborating with Expo Sunderland to deliver this landmark event. The city is truly bucking the trend in terms of investment and is delivering leading-class office spaces, which are driving the regeneration of Sunderland. We're looking forward to evolving the conversation about the role of workplaces and how they are fostering city centre economic growth."

With flagship projects such as Riverside Sunderland, new skills and training facilities like the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy, which opened in September, and major infrastructure schemes including the Keel Crossing, Sunderland is emerging as a model future city.  The conference will highlight the city's leadership in smart, sustainable, and inclusive regeneration, while setting out fresh opportunities for collaboration and investment.

The Delivering the Future City Conference has received support from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

To find out more about Delivering the Future City, visit https://www.exposunderland.com/future-city/delivering-future-city-2025 or follow Expo Sunderland on LinkedIn.