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Urban Splash founder Tom Bloxham says the UK development environment is the hardest he has encountered in 40 years for making urban-regeneration schemes financially viable. His assessment centres on planning: he says an early mixed-use project took around three months and cost about £12,000 to plan, whereas an equivalent project today could take two or three years and cost £300,000 to £400,000. Those figures are his comparisons, not a published industry-wide statistical series. Urban Splash and Igloo are moving ahead with a contrasting example in south Liverpool: a legal agreement for an approximately 800-home Festival Gardens neighbourhood.
What does Urban Splash mean by “toughest in 40 years”?
Bloxham is describing the difficulty of making regeneration schemes financially viable, rather than claiming that a measured index ranks today’s development market against every year of the past four decades. He told Construction Management that viability is the hardest he has seen in his 40 years in property development.
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His comparison is based on his experience with planning costs and timelines. It should not be read as a claim that every application now takes two or three years, or that all planning costs fall within the range he cites. The figures refer to his estimate for an equivalent project and are reported as his personal comparison.
Why does he say planning has become more difficult?
Bloxham points to the time and expense involved in planning a mixed-use development. He contrasts an early Urban Splash project, which he says took around three months and cost about £12,000 to plan, with an equivalent project today that he estimates could take two or three years and cost £300,000 to £400,000.
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Longer lead times and higher pre-construction costs can weigh on a scheme’s viability: developers must commit money and wait longer before they can know whether a project can proceed. The reported comparison does not itemise which planning tasks or fees account for the difference, so it cannot establish a precise cause or quantify how much each factor contributes.
Bloxham also questions whether the process now produces better results. “I’m not at all convinced there are any better outcomes from the whole planning process that we’re seeing today than we saw 20 or 30 years ago,” he said. That is his view of the outcomes, not an independent evaluation of planning decisions over time.
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What is pump-priming, and why does he support it?
Pump-priming means providing early support or investment to help a regeneration scheme get started and improve its prospects of being viable. Bloxham said that pump-priming regeneration schemes is important, responding: “I think that’s very important.” The report does not specify a funding mechanism, amount or particular public programme, so the comment should be understood as support for the principle rather than a proposal with defined terms.
Early support can matter in regeneration because a scheme may face significant planning and development costs before homes or other uses are delivered. The Festival Gardens project illustrates the scale and range of housing that can be involved, but the available information does not say that pump-priming finance has been committed to that scheme.
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What is planned for Liverpool Festival Gardens?
Urban Splash and Igloo were selected by Liverpool City Council for a 27-acre site in south Liverpool and have signed a legal agreement for a neighbourhood of approximately 800 homes. The site previously hosted the International Garden Festival, launched by Queen Elizabeth II in 1984.
The plans envisage around 30 house types and a mix of housing options: co-housing, social rent, mixed-tenure family homes, retirement living and self-build. Liverpool City Council described its ambition as combining “nature, great design, and an inclusive mix of homes to create a community with a distinctive quality.”
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A legal agreement marks progress, but it is not a guarantee that every element will be built exactly as initially proposed. The project’s scale, tenure mix and delivery can change as planning and development proceed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the Festival Gardens project contradict Bloxham’s warning?
No. The project shows that a large regeneration scheme is moving forward, but it does not disprove Bloxham’s broader concern about viability. The two points can coexist: a development may secure a legal agreement while the sector still faces high costs, long timelines and difficult financial conditions. The available reporting does not provide a full appraisal of the project’s financing or demonstrate whether it is representative of the wider market.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Festival Gardens site in Liverpool?
It is a 27-acre site in south Liverpool that previously hosted the 1984 International Garden Festival. Urban Splash and Igloo were selected by Liverpool City Council to develop the proposed neighbourhood.
Has planning permission been granted for all 800 homes?
The reported milestone is a signed legal agreement for the approximately 800-home scheme, not confirmation that every home has received final approval or will be delivered as described. The plans and project scale may change as planning and delivery progress.
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What does mixed-tenure mean in the Festival Gardens plans?
It means the proposed neighbourhood would include different housing arrangements rather than one tenure alone. The reported mix includes co-housing, social rent, mixed-tenure family homes, retirement living and self-build.
Does Bloxham’s comparison prove that UK planning costs have risen across the industry?
No. The reported £12,000 and £300,000–£400,000 figures are Bloxham’s comparison between an early mixed-use scheme and an equivalent project today. They are not a comprehensive dataset of planning costs across UK developments.
