The Urban Growth Playbook

Brett Leahy is the Strategic Director of Planning, Growth and Infrastructure at Enfield Council, leading efforts to shape the borough’s future. With nearly 25 years in local government, his experience across six councils—three districts and three unitary—gives him a deep understanding of government operations and challenges. Leahy’s vision balances economic growth, environmental responsibility and community well-being. He leads initiatives to revitalise town centres, enhance transport networks and champion active travel. His leadership extends to regulatory services, housing standards and Energetik, London’s largest district heat network. Through strategic planning and innovation, Leahy is committed to making Enfield more connected, livable and resilient for the community.

In an interview with Real Estate Business Review Europe, Brett Leahy shared insights from his extensive career in urban planning, the critical role of strategic leadership in shaping sustainable communities and the intersection of technology and infrastructure in modern city development.

Breaking the Budget Trap: Funding Cities in Tough Times

Local government faces many challenges, with public finances remaining one of the most pressing. Austerity has been a reality for 15 years, forcing councils to make year-on-year savings while still delivering essential services. This requires constant adaptation—finding efficiencies, restructuring, and, at times, scaling back. The impact is particularly visible in public investment, with funding for infrastructure and community development continually shrinking. The private sector and local communities that depend on government support are feeling the strain, and the pressure to reduce spending further remains.

One area where this is especially evident is homelessness. The scale of the crisis is alarming—one in every 23 children in London lives in temporary accommodation, an unstable situation that affects education, health and future opportunities. At Enfield, our temporary accommodation budget increased by £10 million last year alone, and projections suggest costs could rise by another £50 million over the next three years. That level of spending is not sustainable.

One major step we’ve taken is building council housing again. This became possible when Michael Gove reversed legislation that, since the Thatcher era, had prevented councils from directly developing housing stock. Thanks to a policy reversal, we can now invest in our housing stock, reducing reliance on expensive private rentals and hotels while providing stable, affordable homes.

The biggest challenge in my remit is growth. London must remain competitive, yet only 251 affordable housing units were built citywide last year. To attract and retain talent, we need policies that make investing, building homes and supporting businesses easier. My role focuses on creating the right conditions for that growth—through planning policy, infrastructure improvements and economic development. That’s my core focus—ensuring Enfield remains a place where people want to live, work and build a future.

Can Tech Save Urban Planning?

Technology transforms service delivery, but none works without the proper digital infrastructure. Fibre networks, mobile technology and digital access form the foundation for innovation, yet they’re often overlooked. The UK ranks among the worst-performing Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for digital connectivity, affecting fibre and mobile networks. Despite being a global city, London lags in this area, making it less competitive for investment. Instead of facilitating digital infrastructure, we’ve often been a blocker. That mindset must change to attract investment, improve connectivity and fully embrace technology’s potential.

The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of investment. Delayed planning, outdated policies and underfunded infrastructure don’t just slow progress—they jeopardise the long-term resilience of our communities.

Take Enfield, for example. We were ranked the lowest of all 33 London councils for digital connectivity. Some of our key employment sites lacked fibre—unacceptable in 2025. Recognising the urgency, I worked with our inclusive growth and economic development teams, partnering with the government, Greater London Authority (GLA) and the private sector to drive investment into the borough. As a result, we’re steadily climbing the ranks. But this required a shift in how we engage with public and private partners.

A key shift has made it easier for private investors to spend their money here. They want to invest—our job is to remove barriers. This also means shifting the planning conversation—digital connectivity isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about equity. Those with poor connectivity are often older or from lower-income backgrounds, making this a matter of social inclusion.

Enfield’s challenges aren’t unique. Across the UK, digital connectivity is falling behind. In some cases, we’re regressing. People have noticed their mobile signal dropping more often. That’s because investment in masts and fibre has stalled. Each mast can only handle about 50 calls at a time and as data demand grows, capacity must keep pace. Without infrastructure investment, we won’t be able to harness technology’s full potential.

Service delivery is already improving through AI. Planning applications, for example, once manual validation is required, takes weeks. Now, AI performs this instantly, reducing delays from weeks to seconds. Instead of technical teams checking applications, AI automates the process, freeing planners to focus on complex cases.

Public-private partnerships have driven these innovations. Agile, Exeter University and the Alan Turing Institute developed our AI validation system. More investment in public sector innovation will enable further collaboration with private partners. We’re also using technology to engage communities in planning. Instead of text-heavy local plans, we generate 3D models, making proposals more explicit. This democratises planning, allowing residents to see development trade-offs and fostering informed conversations about the borough’s future.

Technology offers incredible opportunities to improve service delivery, but none of it is possible without the proper infrastructure. If we want to embrace a digital future, we must remove barriers, encourage investment and put digital connectivity at the core of planning and policy decisions.

The Master Plan: Leading Cities into the Future

Strategic planning is the backbone of urban development, ensuring cities evolve purposefully. A well-structured local plan is critical, outlining where homes, businesses and infrastructure—both green and blue—should be placed to support sustainable growth. Having just spent two weeks in a public examination for Enfield’s local plan, I’ve seen firsthand how vital leadership and momentum are in driving these plans forward.

The complexity of local plans cannot be overstated. Without sustained progress, delays become costly. Enfield’s plan took six years and £7 million to reach this examination stage—only the first phase of a lengthy process. This challenge extends far beyond Enfield and is a widespread issue across the UK. One key lesson from this journey is the importance of avoiding unnecessary pauses. Each delay increases costs and slows the much-needed development that communities rely on. Urban leaders must champion strategic planning, push initiatives forward and ensure the right level of urgency to get these plans over the line.

For my peers in the sector, my advice is simple—stay proactive, anticipate roadblocks and drive progress with conviction. Leadership isn’t just about creating a vision, it’s about making sure it turns into reality. Strategic planning, clear direction and sustained effort are essential to building cities that work for the future.