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How PropTech Is Unlocking Housing Delivery: Insights from RenKap’s Session at the ‘New Homes, New Ways’ Conference
As the UK government pushes to build 1.5m homes, technology is reshaping how public sector development gets done. In February, our CEO Gonzalo Marquesini hosted a summit session to explore exactly how PropTech is making that vision a reality.
RenKap Hosts PropTech Session: Real Examples of PropTech Solutions Boosting Local Authority Housing Delivery
In February, our founder, Gonzalo Marquesini, hosted a session at the Housing Festival’s New Homes New Ways conference. This session focused on practical, real-world examples of how PropTech solutions are accelerating local authority housing delivery. Alongside Gonzalo, we were joined by an expert panel including Josh Rains, Managing Director of Landmark Geodata, Hugh Gibbs, Co-founder of Searchland, and Stephen Workman, Technical Director and Residential Sector National Lead for AtkinsRéalis. The session was chaired by Bridget Wilkins, Head of Adoption, Engagement, and Innovation at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The core theme of the summit was exploring how 1.5 million homes can be delivered by building New Homes in New Ways, this included MMC and PropTech solutions.
Driving Change in Digital Planning
Bridget Wilkins opened the session by discussing how MHCLG is pioneering the acceleration of digital planning tools, including the creation of the PropTech Innovation Fund in 2021 and the recent Digital Planning Directory. These initiatives focus on making housing delivery faster, more efficient, and more accessible by leveraging technology and bringing them to the market.
RenKap’s Role in Streamlining Survey Procurement
“A local authority went from having no surveyors at all to instructing seven different surveys on a single site in less than 30 minutes. This used to take weeks”
Gonzalo Marquesini – Renkap
Gonzalo shared how RenKap is transforming the way public sector delivery teams manage their surveys. By providing a single platform to obtain quotes, commission, and review surveys, RenKap empowers teams to save time and reduce costs. Gonzalo emphasised the importance of early risk identification—such as contamination, utilities, ecology, asbestos and more—to avoid unnecessary delays. He also highlighted a case study from the London Borough of Hackney, where RenKap reduced procurement time from weeks to just minutes. As Gonzalo put it, “London Borough of Hackney went from having no surveyors at all to instructing seven different surveys on a single site in less than 30 minutes. This used to take weeks.”
“Some councils don’t even know what land they own. With our platform, they can click a button and see all their assets in 10 seconds.”
Hugh Gibbs – Searchland
Hugh Gibbs discussed how his platform, Searchland, simplifies the process of gathering key land data, including ownership, planning history, and local policies. Initially created to help developers identify off-market land opportunities, Searchland also aids public landowners in assessing small development sites within their portfolios. As Hugh noted, “Some councils don’t even know what land they own. With our platform, they can click a button and see all their assets in 10 seconds.” He also stressed the importance of using AI-driven tools to integrate land data across PropTech solutions, creating streamlined and more efficient workflows.
“Data allows scale. A consistent view of planning applications across the country helps spot trends and make decisions faster.”
Josh Rains – Landmark Geodata
Josh Rains shared how Landmark Geodata supports data-driven decision-making across distributed teams by providing access to valuable data like historical maps and contamination reports. This access helps teams collaborate more effectively and make quicker, more informed decisions. As Josh put it, “Data allows scale. A consistent view of planning applications across the country helps spot trends and make decisions faster.”
“We can access full site utility data in five days, saving weeks of coordination”
Stephen Workman -AtkinsRealis
Stephen Workman explained how PropTech tools, such as the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), enhance feasibility studies and risk assessments by providing quick access to underground utility data. This enables faster, more accurate planning and reduces costly design changes. “We can access full site utility data in five days, saving weeks of coordination,” Stephen remarked.
Looking Ahead: PropTech’s Role in Housing Delivery
The ‘New Homes, New Ways’ conference reinforced what we at RenKap already believe – housing delivery doesn’t have to be slow. With the right digital tools, local authorities can move faster, reduce risk, and unlock more sites. We’re proud to lead this transformation through our Site Survey Marketplace, helping public sector teams spend less time on admin and more on impact.