Housing delivery, community engagement and the future of the planning system were important themes at this year's Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton. But what does the party's approach mean for developers, local authorities and the wider property industry?
While Sir Ed Davey's keynote speech focused on the wider political and economic challenges facing the country, the conference also provided an important insight into the Liberal Democrats' thinking on housing, infrastructure, local decision-making and economic growth.
A central message was that Britain needs more homes, but that development must be delivered with communities rather than imposed upon them.
The party reaffirmed its ambition to deliver 150,000 new social rent homes annually, alongside proposals to give councils greater powers to build affordable housing, set local affordable housing targets and determine whether to continue Right to Buy in their areas.
Gideon Amos MP, the party's Housing and Communities spokesperson, placed particular emphasis on rebuilding public confidence in the planning process. His argument was that increasing housing delivery should not mean reducing meaningful community involvement.
The conference also backed stronger standards for natural light and outdoor space in new homes, together with improvements to walking, cycling and public transport connections within new developments.
Meanwhile, Daisy Cooper's economic growth proposals placed infrastructure investment and long-term planning at the centre of the party's wider economic ambitions.
But there is an important challenge at the heart of this approach.
How can the country deliver substantially more homes while maintaining strong local influence over development decisions, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas where opposition to new housing can be significant?
For developers and planning professionals, this is a familiar tension.
Across many local authorities, particularly those with significant Liberal Democrat representation, the quality of community engagement, the provision of infrastructure and the ability to demonstrate tangible local benefits can be as important politically as the principle of development itself.
At Consult Communications, we regularly see how early, meaningful engagement can help address concerns, build relationships and establish a more constructive environment for planning proposals.
The message emerging from Brighton is clear: housing numbers matter, but so does how those homes are delivered.
The challenge for the Liberal Democrats will be translating their ambitions for increased housing delivery and stronger local decision-making into an approach that can achieve both.
For the development industry, understanding that political balance will remain essential.