The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum 2027 – Leeds, Uk

What to expect

The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum 2027 is the UK’s largest marketplace for real estate, infrastructure and inward investment. It returns to Leeds for a sixth and final time in the city before the forum moves to Liverpool from the following year. Since its launch in 2022, the event has grown from a regional gathering of 4,000 people to a national festival of property and investment that now welcomes more than 16,000 leaders every year.

This is not a conventional conference held in dark halls. The entire Royal Armouries and Leeds Dock campus is transformed into a vibrant festival site. Inside the museum you will find the main auditorium and keynote stages. Next door, New Dock Hall becomes a dense exhibition of regional pavilions and investor lounges. Outside, the Tiltyard and Leeds Dock waterfront host large marquees, street food, coffee points and open-air networking, and for recent editions the dock itself has become exhibition space with floating pavilions built on more than a hundred pontoons.

What makes UKREiiF different is that it is built around deals, not just discussion. Every English region, Scottish city and Welsh authority brings a live investment portfolio. You will meet developers with consented schemes, councils with regeneration zones, occupiers with expansion plans, and funds with capital to deploy. The organisers estimate that more than $5.1 billion of investment and projects are now in the pipeline or being delivered as a direct result of connections made at the event, and the forum has generated over $76 million of economic benefit for the Leeds economy alone.

Expect a very commercial atmosphere that starts early. Networking runs begin at 7am, investor breakfasts follow, content runs all day across more than 30 stages, and the city itself becomes part of the event in the evening with over 150 fringe events, receptions and dinners. It is inclusive by design, with a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion pavilion, balanced speaker representation, and hundreds of free places for students, under-25s and under-represented groups.

Event dates

• Event Dates: May 18th – 20th 2027
• Event Timings: 06:45 AM – 16:45 PM daily with extended fringe programme until late evening
• Edition: 6th Annual Edition – Final Leeds Edition
• Frequency: Annual
• Launch Year: 2022
• Next Host City: Liverpool from 2028

All main stage content, exhibition access and official fringe activity takes place within these three core days. Registration opens early each morning and you are advised to arrive the evening before to collect your badge and attend welcome receptions.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & exhibition site

The home of the forum is the Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds Dock. The official address is Royal Armouries Museum and New Dock, Armouries Drive, Leeds LS10 1LT, United Kingdom. The What3Words location is fails.food.ashes, which brings you directly to the dockside entrance.

The Royal Armouries is one of the UK’s most distinctive conference venues. It offers 11 versatile event spaces, award-winning catering and an in-house AV team, all with stunning views over Leeds Dock. The museum halls host the main keynotes and government addresses, while New Dock Hall is the primary exhibition hall. It is a modern, light space directly adjacent to the museum, purpose-built for large-scale exhibitions and conferences.

Leeds Dock itself is central to the experience. The site includes a 1,500-space multi-storey car park, a hotel, residential apartments and extensive office space. The outdoor Tiltyard is used for large temporary pavilions and hospitality structures. Recent editions have added floating exhibition pavilions on the water, delivered with 120 floating pontoons, creating a visually impressive area right on the dock. The Royal Armouries has also announced long-term plans for a $190 million multi-purpose events and exhibition centre on the Tiltyard to substantially increase future capacity.

The campus is compact and fully walkable, with covered walkways between the halls and dockside paths connecting everything in under five minutes. The whole area is branded for UKREiiF, creating a festival feel just a short walk from Leeds city centre.

Full event programme

The programme for this edition is designed as a full festival programme rather than a single-track conference. Content, exhibition, networking and fringe activity run in parallel to allow you to curate your own experience.

The main stage programme brings together national government, metro mayors, global investors and leaders of major developers for headline keynotes and ministerial addresses. Alongside this, the Investment Centre is where combined authorities and local councils pitch their live development and regeneration opportunities in quick-fire sessions.

Specialist pavilions then provide deep dives into every major asset class and policy area. There are dedicated stages for housing, for infrastructure and transport, for net zero and climate resilience, for industrial and logistics, for innovation and PropTech, and for health and education estates. New for this edition is a Dedicated Healthcare Day as part of the wider event, reflecting the growing focus on healthcare estates, primary care hubs and life sciences investment.

Beyond the main campus, the fringe programme is vast. More than 150 fringe events are hosted by exhibitors, sponsors and partners across Leeds city centre, including breakfast briefings, closed-door roundtables, site tours and evening receptions. The Great Housing Development Summit also runs within the forum, designed to move beyond commentary and into action with a collaborative space where public and private sectors can drive real progress on housing delivery.

Key speakers & keynote speakers

The forum is expected to welcome more than 700 speakers across its three days. The full speaker list is released in waves, but UKREiiF has built a reputation for seniority and diversity, with more than half of speakers in recent years being female and strong representation from ethnic minority backgrounds.

First-wave partners already confirmed for this edition include McDonald’s, Aldi, Lloyds Bank, AECOM, Jacobs, JLL, Savills, Arcadis, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Tetra Tech, Stantec, SEGRO, Prologis and Lendlease, each bringing senior executives to the stage.

Recent keynote speakers have included Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, Lord Johnson as Investment Minister, Peter Freeman, Chair at Homes England, Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail, Andy Williams, VP for UK Strategy at AstraZeneca, and Alastair Campbell, former Director of Communications for No.10 Downing Street. The West Midlands pavilion has previously featured speakers such as Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, alongside urban design authors and BBC contributors.

You can expect a similar level of seniority for this final Leeds edition, with leaders from central government, Homes England, Network Rail, major investors, developers and occupiers. The event also works closely with groups such as Regeneration Brainery, Black Women in Real Estate, Women in Property, Building People, Young Entrepreneurs in Property and Real Estate Balance to ensure a wide range of voices.

Conference sessions & tracks

The conference tracks are organised around the investment lifecycle and the biggest challenges facing UK places.

Levelling Up and Devolution Track focuses on how devolution deals and combined authorities are shaping local growth plans and investment priorities. Sessions explore how mayors and council leaders are using new powers to unlock land and infrastructure.

Housing Delivery Track covers everything from planning reform and affordable housing delivery to Build to Rent, later living, student accommodation and modern methods of construction. It includes the Great Housing Development Summit which provides discounted access for HDN and NSG members.

Infrastructure and Transport Track looks at rail, roads, ports, energy, water and digital infrastructure as enablers of development. Network Rail, National Highways and major consultancies contribute to discussions on how infrastructure unlocks regeneration.

Net Zero and Climate Resilience Track examines how to measure climate risk for real estate portfolios, deliver next-generation green infrastructure, retrofit existing stock and design greener buildings and places.

Investment and Finance Track brings together institutional investors, pension funds, REITs and private equity to discuss funding models for regeneration and public-private partnerships.

Industrial, Logistics and Innovation Track focuses on freeports such as Humber Freeport, advanced manufacturing, logistics, data centres and defence infrastructure.

Places and High Streets Track explores town centre regeneration, retail repurposing, culture-led regeneration and the visitor economy.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Track, new for this edition, covers NHS estate transformation and the creation of health innovation districts.

Session times & schedule

The forum runs to a clear daily rhythm designed to maximise both content and networking time.

Early Morning begins with wellbeing and networking. Property networking runs start from Malmaison Leeds, followed by investor breakfasts and closed-door roundtables. Registration opens early to allow you to collect your badge and plan your day.

Morning Keynotes in the Royal Armouries Auditorium bring the whole audience together for headline addresses from mayors, ministers and global investors. This is where major announcements and regional launches tend to happen.

Mid-Morning and Afternoon Content Blocks are when the parallel tracks run across New Dock Hall and the pavilion stages. You can move between investment showcases, sector deep-dives and practical workshops.

Lunch and Networking is taken on the dockside with extensive catering, exhibition networking and invitation-only lunches in private lounges.

Late Afternoon and Evening Fringe extends the day beyond the main campus. The CIOB Fringe Networking Reception at The Lock, DoubleTree by Hilton is a fixture, alongside hundreds of partner-hosted receptions, dinners and city-wide events. Shuttle buses, water taxis and cycling routes operate throughout the day to connect fringe venues.

Ticket types & registration

Registration is managed only through the official website https://www.ukreiif.com/. Pricing for this edition has not yet been announced, so the rates below are based on the official 2026 ticket release, converted into USD. All tickets include access to the networking app, shuttle buses and fringe programme.

Event Ticket is the full access ticket for private sector delegates. Based on the 2026 price of £1,295 GBP plus VAT, this converts to approximately $1,650 USD plus VAT. It provides three-day access to all stages, the exhibition, investment centre and evening fringe events. It is designed for investors, developers, occupiers, consultants and contractors.

SME and Local Authority Ticket is a discounted rate for small businesses with 50 or fewer staff and for local authority and government delegates. Based on 2026 pricing of £1,095 GBP plus VAT, this converts to approximately $1,395 USD plus VAT. Proof of eligibility may be requested and this category is intended to ensure public sector attendance is accessible.

Public Sector Group Ticket is available for teams from councils and combined authorities who are exhibiting or presenting investment opportunities, priced at the same discounted level.

Student and Under-25 Ticket is free of charge. The forum issues around 400 free tickets for students and 700 for people aged under 25 each year because the organisers believe the next generation holds the key to success in the sector. An application process applies and places are limited.

Fringe Only Ticket covers selected fringe events held outside the main Royal Armouries campus where applicable. Based on recent editions, this is priced at around $6.50 USD per day.

Registration deadlines

Registration is open now via the 2027 portal at https://2027.ukreiif.com. Early bird rates typically close around three months before the forum and offer around a 15% saving on standard rates. Standard online registration then remains open until one week before the event, after which only onsite registration is possible at the Royal Armouries reception from early morning, subject to capacity and at a higher rate.

Applications for free student and under-25 tickets close around four weeks before the forum due to high demand. Pavilion and exhibition partner packages need to be confirmed in the final quarter of the previous year to guarantee inclusion in the printed floor plan and official guide. Early booking of accommodation is strongly recommended as Leeds hotels reach over 95% occupancy during UKREiiF week.

Exhibitor list & major companies

More than 300 exhibitors are expected, representing every part of the UK built environment. The forum is known for its regional pavilions, where multiple organisations from one place co-exhibit to showcase a combined investment proposition.

First-wave partners confirmed for this edition include major occupiers such as McDonald’s and Aldi, banking and finance with Lloyds Bank, property advisors including JLL, Savills, Knight Frank and BNP Paribas Real Estate, engineering and consultancy leaders AECOM, Jacobs, Arcadis, Arup, Mott MacDonald, Tetra Tech and Stantec, and developers and investors such as SEGRO, Prologis, Lendlease, Allied London and Muse Developments.

Specialist exhibitors include the UK PropTech Association, Yardi, FLOAT architectural visualisation, White Label Creative, Woodland Trust and University of Salford. Public sector pavilions include West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council, Humber Freeport with Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority and Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Norfolk and Suffolk, and West Midlands.

Each exhibitor brings a team of business development, investment and project leads, making the exhibition floor a highly effective place for meetings.

Exhibition halls & floor plan

The exhibition is spread across four connected zones rather than a single hall, which creates a campus feel.

New Dock Hall is the main exhibition hall. It hosts over 150 stands, regional pavilions, sponsor pavilions and investor lounges. It is fully carpeted with both shell scheme and space-only options. The Royal Armouries Museum halls host the main auditorium, breakout theatres and meeting rooms including the Bury Theatre and War Gallery for keynote content.

Leeds Dock Waterfront and the Tiltyard host large-scale temporary structures, marquees and hospitality pavilions with outdoor catering and networking zones overlooking the water. The floating exhibition pavilions are a signature feature, with 120 pontoons creating branded exhibition space directly on the dock, delivered in partnership with National Pontoon.

The layout is designed for flow between content and exhibition, with the main conference room in the Royal Armouries and the extensive exhibition in New Dock Hall connected by a covered walkway. A detailed interactive floor plan is published on the official website around eight weeks before the event and is available in the app.

Networking & business meetings

Networking is the reason most delegates attend. The forum is structured as a marketplace where meetings can be scheduled in advance and also happen serendipitously.

All ticket holders gain access to the official UKREiiF networking app to search attendees, filter by investor, developer, local authority or consultant, request meetings and manage your schedule. In recent editions more than 20,000 meeting requests were made through the app before the event even opened.

On site there are private investment lounges for confidential discussions, hundreds of informal meeting pods and open seating throughout the halls and dockside, and dedicated meeting spaces inside regional pavilions. The water taxi between Leeds Station and Leeds Dock and the shuttle buses create additional informal networking moments.

Beyond the campus, Leeds city centre becomes an extension of the forum. Over 150 fringe events include breakfasts, lunches and evening receptions, including the CIOB Fringe Networking Reception. Property networking runs from Malmaison Leeds are popular for early morning connections, and most partners host dinners and drinks across the city.

Industry sectors & highlights

The forum covers all sectors of the built environment, from traditional industries such as commercial, residential, transport, infrastructure and retail, to more emerging sectors such as renewable energy, digital infrastructure and defence.

Housing is a major highlight, with the Great Housing Development Summit providing a collaborative space for public and private sectors to drive real progress. Infrastructure and transport is another core pillar, with Network Rail and major consultancies discussing how rail and mass transit unlock housing.

Net zero and sustainability runs through every track, from measuring climate risk for real estate portfolios to delivering next-generation green infrastructure. Industrial and logistics is strongly represented through freeports and advanced manufacturing, while high streets and regeneration focuses on town centre renewal and culture-led regeneration.

This edition also includes a new dedicated Healthcare Day covering NHS estate transformation, primary care hubs and health innovation districts, plus an expanded focus on life sciences, data centres and PropTech. The final Leeds edition will also include celebration events marking the forum’s journey from a local startup to the UK’s largest place conference.

Event rules & visitor information

To ensure a professional and inclusive environment, a number of rules apply.

Badge Policy requires photo ID for collection. Badges must be worn at all times within the Royal Armouries, New Dock Hall and official fringe venues. Badges are non-transferable and will be checked at stage entrances.

Age Policy does not permit under-18s in the main exhibition and conference areas unless part of an approved educational group with supervision and prior approval.

Code of Conduct is strictly enforced. UKREiiF operates a zero-tolerance policy on harassment, discrimination and inappropriate behaviour. The event has a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion pavilion and works with groups such as Women in Property and Black Women in Real Estate to champion a more inclusive culture.

Photography and Filming takes place throughout the site by official photographers and videographers. By attending you consent to being filmed for promotional purposes. Personal photography is permitted except in private meeting areas and investment lounges.

Sustainability Policy aims to reduce impact. No single-use plastic is used on the main campus, printed programmes are limited, and delegates are encouraged to use public transport, water taxis and cycling routes.

Security includes bag searches at the Royal Armouries entrance. Large luggage cannot be stored on site, so please use your hotel.

How to get there

The venue is Royal Armouries and Leeds Dock, Armouries Drive, Leeds LS10 1LT. The site is signposted as Royal Armouries Museum from the motorway and city centre.

By train, Leeds Station is the main gateway. It is around 15 minutes walk from Leeds Dock via a pleasant waterfront route, or around five minutes by water taxi or shuttle bus. Direct services run from London Kings Cross, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

By car, follow the M1 to M621 Junction 6 for Leeds city centre and Royal Armouries. Brown tourist signs for Royal Armouries Museum will guide you. The onsite multi-storey car park has 1,500 spaces with EV charging, easy parking and quick access to shuttle connections. If lorry or coach parking is required, an offsite holding area is arranged in conjunction with Leeds City Council, so speak to your Event Planner.

By air, Leeds Bradford Airport is around 30 minutes by taxi and Manchester Airport is around 1 hour 15 minutes by train to Leeds.

By water taxi, the Leeds Dock Water Taxi operates regular services between the station, Granary Wharf and the dockside next to the UKREiiF site. The journey costs around $2.50 USD and is one of the most popular ways to arrive.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is the recommended way to reach the venue and is well organised for the event.

Shuttle buses operate on a free loop between Leeds Station, city centre hotels and Leeds Dock every 15 minutes during event hours, with extended services for evening fringe events. Water taxis run frequently between the city centre and Leeds Dock, offering quick access and a memorable arrival directly at the exhibition.

For those driving, all sites offer EV charging, easy parking and quick access to shuttle connections. The main multi-storey car park at Leeds Dock has 1,500 spaces and additional city centre parking is available at Trinity Leeds and Victoria Quarter. Offsite parking for lorries and coaches is available at a holding area if booked in advance.

Active travel is encouraged. Leeds City Bikes docking stations are located at Leeds Dock with cycle parking at the Royal Armouries. For those staying near Leeds Dock or the city centre, walking to the Royal Armouries is feasible within 20 to 30 minutes along the waterfront. The whole site is fully accessible with step-free access, lifts and accessible toilets.

Accommodation areas

Leeds has an extensive hotel offer that continues to strengthen, with two major new hotels set to add significant extra capacity for this edition.

Leeds Dock and Clarence Dock are closest to the venue, with DoubleTree by Hilton Leeds, Malmaison Leeds and Holiday Inn Express Leeds City Centre all within a few minutes walk. City Centre and Waterfront is a 10 to 15 minute walk and includes Hilton Leeds City, Leeds Marriott Hotel, Clayton Hotel Leeds and Radisson Blu. The Station Area is best for train access with The Queens Hotel, Leonardo Hotel Leeds, Dakota Leeds and Park Plaza. South Bank is an emerging business district with boutique hotels and apartments.

The Leeds Hotels and Venues Association partners with the vast majority of hotels across the city and surrounding areas to provide enhanced rates and greater choice for attendees. Discounted rates are available via the official UKREiiF accommodation portal linked from the registration site. It is strongly recommended to book early, as the city reaches near full occupancy during the forum.

Previous year’s highlights

The 2025 edition set new records and shows what to expect for this final Leeds edition.

Attendance reached over 16,000 delegates, up from just 4,000 in the inaugural year of 2022. More than 700 speakers were confirmed across 30 stages, with over half being female and a wide range of backgrounds represented. The exhibition featured more than 300 exhibitors, including all major combined authorities, government departments and international investors.

Economic impact was substantial, with more than $76 million generated for the Leeds economy and over $5.1 billion of investment and projects linked to the forum either in the pipeline or being actively delivered. Innovation was visible on the water with the first floating exhibition pavilions, and on land with extensive marquees and pavilions along the canal.

Social impact was also a highlight, with 400 free tickets for students, 700 free tickets for under-25s, a dedicated D&I pavilion hosting groups such as Regeneration Brainery, Women in Property, Building People and Association of Muslim Surveyors, and extensive coverage of net zero, social mobility and inclusive growth. The event has become recognised as the UK equivalent of MIPIM in Cannes, and its success has led to the launch of AUSREiiF in Australia.

Official registration & tickets

Official registration and tickets are only available via the official websites. The main portal is https://www.ukreiif.com/ and the dedicated 2027 site is https://2027.ukreiif.com/registration.

The 2027 pricing has not yet been released, so tickets are currently sold based on 2026 rates which are Event Ticket at $1,650 USD plus VAT and SME and Local Authority Ticket at $1,395 USD plus VAT. Day tickets for fringe events start from around $6.50 USD where applicable. All prices are converted from GBP and VAT is added at the prevailing UK rate.

This is the sixth and final Leeds edition at the Royal Armouries before the move to Liverpool Experience Campus from the following year, which will offer larger exhibition space and wider accommodation choice. To avoid third-party resellers, always use the official site and contact the team via the official enquiry form for partnership and exhibition opportunities.