Gavin Bridge

Founder and Managing Director
Spatia

Property developer Gavin Bridge launched Spatia in 2021 with an ambition to transform places, communities and lives by creating sustainable mixed-use neighbourhoods, future-fit workspaces and low and zero carbon homes in towns and cities across the UK. Gavin, who grew up in Liverpool and lives in the South West, combines a fresh, open-minded and collaborative approach with over two decades of successful, award-winning property development and urban regeneration experience.

Cllr Paul Smith

Cabinet Member for Homes and Communities
Bristol City Council

Paul Smith is the Cabinet member for Homes and Communities for Bristol City Council. Paul was re-elected to the council in May 2016 following a 17 year break. Paul has worked in the housing association sector for almost 30 years and has also been the Chief Executive of two national charities. Paul’s housing experience has included working at director level within a midlands based housing association, more recently as Head of Intelligence and Insight for Aster Group which manages 28,000 homes across the south of England and two spells with the National Housing Federation.

Paul is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce and the Institute of Consulting and runs his own market intelligence and governance company.

Anna Sabine

Chief Executive
MPC

Anna is the Chief Executive of Meeting Place Communications, which helps developers secure planning consents through work with politicians, communities and the media. She has been at MPC for 10 years, running major pre- app consultation programmes for housebuilders, universities and financial investors. Before this she worked as a Campaign Manager for the Lib Dems and in the voluntary sector; she has a PPE degree from Oxford University. Anna is passionate about involving more women in the planning and development sector, and about growing the use of social media in the industry.

Alexandra Notay

Build to Rent Fund Director
PfP Capital

Alexandra is an internationally recognised expert on Build to Rent, placemaking and sustainable urban development. She has 14 years’ strategic advisory experience to public and private sector clients in the UK, US, Europe and Australia and now leads the BTR fund for PfP Capital, part of Places for People Group. Alex is a published author and editor of over 30 books and reports on real estate including the renowned ULI UK Best Practice Guide on Build to Rent (2014, 2016). Alex is a vice-chair of ULI UK Residential Council, serves on the BPF Build to Rent Committee and is an Associate Member of CREFC Europe. She is also a trustee of SunScreenIT Foundation and a non-executive director of Sound Diplomacy.