One Big 2026: The power of partnerships - from vision to delivery

The Senedd Election will set a new horizon for Wales, and as a sector we will be standing at the threshold of a defining chapter.

We have a key part to play in ending the housing crisis, but we can't do it alone. Our true strength lies in the power of "we".

Our ambition is clear: more homes, better homes and fairer places. But we know the next four years will demand commitment, collaboration and resilience as we move from high-level vision to practical action.

At this year's One Big conference, we will celebrate the powerful partnerships that already exist across the sector and explore the opportunities that radical collaboration and deep-rooted partnerships create to ensure that our shared legacy is a Wales where there are homes for every future.

Draft programme

DAY 1 - THURSDAY 2 JULY

***Please note timings for Thursday 2 July have changed**

8.45am Registration, networking and exhibition viewing

9.40am Introduction to Day One - Chair’s Welcome

10.05am Scene setting with Stuart Ropke, Community Housing Cymru

10.15am Fireside chat | The Great Connector: Housing as the foundation for a sustainable Wales

with Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, and Stuart Ropke

This conversation will explore how sustainable placemaking and radical innovation in the housing association sector can move us beyond crisis management. Discover how the housing sector can lead the charge in preventing ill-health, alleviating poverty, and creating communities  that aren't just focused on today, but also fit for the future.

11.05am Coffee Break/Exhibition Viewing/Networking

12pm Workshops

1) Scaling high-quality homes and social value through partnership

Gemma Clissett (Lovell Partnerships) and Rhianydd Jenkins (Beacon Cymru)

This session brings together two groundbreaking models of partnership that dismantle delivery barriers to build sustainable, people-focused communities at pace.
Gemma Clissett will share insights from Lovell’s transformative new 10-year partnership with Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council—a landmark initiative set to deliver 2,500 energy-efficient homes across 25 sites. Gemma will explore how this regional, cross-boundary model accelerates the scale and pace of affordable housing delivery while investing in local economies and community infrastructure.

Shifting the lens to localised innovation, Rhianydd Jenkins from Beacon will reveal the realities behind the Pemberton development in Llwynhendy, Llanelli. Delivering 70 homes on former Tata Steel UK land alongside local contractor Edenstone Homes Ltd, this project showcases circular economy principles by using local Tata Steel products and Catnic Solarseam roofs to enhance biodiversity and renewable energy integration. Crucially, the project channels deep social value directly into the community by renovating a town centre premises for Llanelli Mind, creating a vital non-clinical drop-in mental health support hub for young people.

Together, our speakers provide an honest and transparent breakdown of the benefits, the perceived and real barriers encountered, and the lessons learned from these differing scales of collaboration. They will map out their future hopes for moving the sector forward. 

2) Warm homes, shared goals 

Akshita Lakhiwal (TPAS Cymru) and Andy Fraser (Onnen)

We know that a house is only a home when it’s safe, comfortable, and affordable to heat. This session moves beyond the technical jargon of 'retrofit' to focus on what truly matters to residents. Join us as we explore how housing associations and residents are co-designing the journey toward energy efficiency - ensuring that the homes of the future are not just greener, but warmer and cheaper to run for everyone.
 

3) Making health partnerships work

In 2026, the most effective 'prescription' for a healthier Wales is a high-quality home. While the vision is clear, operationalising it requires a shift in our everyday tools. This session explores how to leverage existing RPB structures and scale the Hospital to Home mission.

Chaired by Rhea Stevens, CHC

• Callum Ridge, Swansea Bay University Health Board
• Sam Austin, Cardiff & Vale Regional Partnership Board
• Audit Wales, Fflur Jones
• Beth Underwood, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

4) Resident-led asset intelligence

The traditional approach to asset management is increasingly insufficient in a landscape of heightened safety standards and digital transformation. This session will discuss the transition from reactive repair cycles to proactive interventions enabled by data. By leveraging resident feedback loops alongside real-time building performance data, organisations can optimise resource allocation, mitigate systemic risks such as damp and mould, and ensure that every pound of expenditure delivers maximum value for the community.

• Henrik von Bahr, Plentific
• TBC
   

12.45pm Lunch/Networking/Exhibition Viewing

13.50pm Keynote | A New Mandate for Wales: The post election landscape

Siân Gwenllian, Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning

The votes have been counted and the new Senedd is in session. As the political dust settles in Wales, this opening keynote will provide a high-level briefing on the new government’s vision for Wales. We will explore the immediate priorities of the incoming administration and a "birds-eye view" of the political landscape, identifying the key themes that will define the next four years of Welsh housing policy.

14.30pm Panel: The delivery blueprint

Now that we have mapped the new political landscape in our opening keynote, this session pivots from what the new government wants to how we deliver it. Our expert panel will break down the high-level Senedd ambitions into a practical roadmap for the sector. We move beyond manifesto promises to discuss the practicalities of delivery in development, asset management, and housing services. Our panelists will debate the collaboration required to meet high-level targets in a shifting economic and political climate, providing a candid look at how we can align our organisational strategies with the new national agenda while continuing to provide high-quality homes for the people of Wales.

• Rhea Stevens, Community Housing Cymru
• Paul Bradley, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
• Auriol Miller, Cynon Taf Community Housing Group
• Ollie Cole, Times Radio

15.00pm Workshops

1) Tackling barriers to build more homes: where next?

In recent years, significant activity has been undertaken to identify the persistent barriers to social housing delivery and the opportunities to increase pace and scale. Building on the recent work and recommendations of the Affordable Housing Taskforce, this session will explore the government's plans to tackle the most stubborn barriers facing the sector, and explore how to go further to expedite delivery.

• Helga Warren and Stuart Fitzgerald, Welsh Government

2) Caredig: Embedding Kindness through the TrACE-Informed Framework

This session explores Caredig’s journey in embedding the Trauma and ACE (TrACE) Informed framework as a core strategic pillar. We will examine how a 'Kindness' mandate, supported by a 360 Psychological Model, has transformed their approach and what they plan to do next.

• Stephen Evans, Sarah Turner and Ceri Wilmott 

3) Better outcomes for heat pumps in social housing: The Bristol experience

Supporting tenants on the transition to low-carbon heating means making sure their experience is a positive one. How can you ensure tenants engage with the decarbonisation process, and are satisfied with the outcomes, and that assets are managed effectively?

Nesta and Bristol City Council worked in partnership to understand and improve the performance of heat pumps in Bristol’s housing stock. Their innovative work on assessing existing installs and optimising them, as well as interviews with tenants at each step of the way, has produced far-reaching findings.

Find out more about how this real-world learning has resulted in practical insights that inform better installation practice, resident engagement and policy design across the UK.

•  Max Woollard (NESTA) and Emily White (Bristol City Council)
   

4) The Cascade: High-Rise Timber Innovation

The Cascade represents a landmark shift in Welsh architecture, challenging the boundaries of sustainable urban development through the use of Cross Laminated Timber.

Join the team behind the project to go 'under the skin', examining the sophisticated engineering and collaborative strategies that have successfully delivered a world-class example of high-density, low-carbon social housing.

• Grant Prosser, Codi Group

15.45pm Coffee Break/Exhibition Viewing/Networking

16.20pm Panel | Good homes for all: what will it really take?

What does a "good home" actually mean in 2026, and why is it the key to unlocking Wales’ economic and physical health? This panel asks the difficult questions: How can a cross-government strategy actually work on the ground? What do health and wealth look like when they are built into the fabric of our homes? We move beyond the "what" to focus on the "how," exploring the collaborative models that are already working and the barriers we must still break down. Discover what it really takes to lead a unified charge for better homes, better health, and a more resilient Wales.

• Clare Way, Tai Tarian
• Caroline O'Flaherty, Hugh James
• Adekanye Ifaturoti, Taff Housing
• Amy Bainton, Tai Pawb

17.00pm Close of Day 1 - Chair’s reflections

17.10pm Drinks reception

19.00pm Dinner

20.30pm Evening entertainment
 

DAY 2 - FRIDAY 3 JULY
 

8.00am Wellbeing activity (weather dependent)

8.45am Registration, networking and exhibition viewing

9.40am Introduction to Day Two - Chair's Welcome

9.50am Keynote | Shaping the future of the housing workforce

Seamus Hoyne, Technological University of the Shannon

Traditional, multi-year college courses cannot be the only tool to upskill our construction workforce at the speed required to meet WHQS 2023 targets. In this session, Seamus Hoyne, coordinator of the EU’s flagship BUILD UP Skills program in Ireland, maps out how European training blueprints are being deployed on the ground. Discover how Ireland successfully adapted this EU framework through DASBE (Digital Academy for the Sustainable Built Environment)—pivoting away from rigid, long-term qualifications toward heavily subsidized, bite-sized micro-credentials designed for busy tradespeople.

10.20am Panel session | How do we build the workforce we need to deliver our shared priorities?

The 2026 skills revolution cannot be won by housing associations acting in isolation. How can we use our collective power in Wales to create a stable, resilient construction workforce? We bring together leaders from development, education, and the frontline to discuss the creation of regional skills hubs and the transition to a digital-first construction culture. 

• Ifan Glyn, Federation of Master Builders
• Samantha Howells, Codi Group
• Matt Dicks, CIH Cymru
• Hannah Morris, Gower College Swansea

11am Coffee break, networking and exhibition viewing

12pm Workshops

1) New homelessness legislation in Wales: learning from best practice

In this session we will reflect on how housing associations can learn from and scale up best practice on partnership working to make the new homelessness legislation a success.

• Neil Morland

2) Community-Led Housing

• Cwmpas and Joy Kent

3) Briefing zone: Delivering the new fire safety regime

• Steve Pomeroy (Welsh Government)

4) Improving homes and communities: Lessons from the Netherlands

• Elly Lock (Community Housing Cymru), Julian Ransom (iON Consultants), Serena Jones (Beacon Cymru)

Fresh from a study tour to The Hague, the speakers in this session will reflect on what lessons can be learnt from international partners to drive regeneration and sustainable investment. The session will look at how partnerships in the Netherlands are addressing damp and mould, investing in sustainable energy, retrofitting existing homes, and engaging meaningfully with residents. Discover how international collaboration can spark fresh solutions for our own retrofitting and climate challenges.

12.50pm Joint keynote | Stronger Together: The Radical Power of Partnership

In 2026, the traditional top-down model of service delivery is no longer sustainable. Join this session to explore the 'Torfaen Deal' a landmark social contract that reimagines the relationship between the council, housing providers, and residents.

As Wales’ first Marmot Council, Torfaen has moved beyond strategy to prove that health and resilience are created in communities, not hospitals. This session provides a masterclass in shifting power, tackling the root causes of inequality, and why radical partnership is the only way to deliver lasting social value in a challenging economy.

• Catherine Love (Bron Afon) and Dave Leech (Torfaen County Borough Council)

1.20pm End of Day 2 - Chair’s reflections

1.30pm Conference close and takeaway lunch
 

Accommodation

We have reserved rooms at the Metropole for our conference delegates. To book a room, call the Metropole directly on 01597 823700 and let them know that you are booking for the One big conference. You will pay through the Metropole and they will handle your booking.

If there is no room at the Metropole or you would like to stay elsewhere, the below options are available:

• The Llanerch Inn (10 minute walk from metropole)
   
• Highland Moors Guesthouse (0.4 miles from centre) 
   
• Hampton Hotel (0.7 miles from centre) 
  
   

Local taxi firms if staying further out:

George’s Taxi – 07498729724
Adeys Taxi – 01597822188

Both of the above are local recommendations.