Taking the SME Property Developers Voice to the Top: Our Latest Update

If you’ve been following the TrustedLand journey, you know we don’t just talk about property development: we champion it. For too long, the voices of SME developers, landowners, and specialist consultants have been muffled by the noise of larger institutional players. But the tide is turning. We are delighted to share that our advocacy efforts have reached the highest levels of political influence in the UK.

Through our partnership with CalComms, we are taking your concerns, your projects, and your vision for UK prosperity directly to the people drafting the next decade’s planning and economic policies. This isn’t just about a seat at the table; it’s about helping shift the SME engine into gear.

The Power Duo: Antony Calvert and Matt Detzler

Advocacy is a team sport, and we’ve teamed up with the best. Antony Calvert (Managing Director) and Matt Detzler (Senior Account Director) from CalComms have been instrumental in pushing the TrustedLand policy agenda forward. Their expertise in public affairs and their deep understanding of the political landscape in Westminster and across the UK’s local authorities have allowed us to bypass the usual bureaucratic hurdles and engage directly with key decision-makers.

Left: Antony Calvert

CalComms has been our strategic partner in translating the daily challenges you face: from planning bottlenecks to funding hurdles: into actionable policy recommendations. Over the past few weeks, Antony and Matt have been busy ensuring that our “Advocacy Toolkit” and policy white papers aren’t just sitting on a desk, but are being actively debated by those who hold the keys to the future of UK infrastructure.

Matt Detzler

Engaging with ReformUK: A Summer of Infrastructure

We are thrilled to report a significant breakthrough with ReformUK. Yesterday, Antony and Matt presented the “TrustedLand Advocacy Toolkit” to ReformUK’s senior leadership, ReformUK’s Director of External Affairs. This wasn’t a mere “hand-over-the-report” moment; it was a deep dive into how the SME sector can spearhead the “economic growth” the country so desperately needs.

The momentum didn’t stop there. This morning, the team had a follow-up meeting with ReformUK’s policy team to refine the details. The goal? To ensure that property development investment and construction remain at the absolute top of the political agenda.

Here is what you need to know about the next steps:

September Conference: We are currently strategising how to best deploy our policy proposals at the ReformUK Conference this September. This will be a major platform to showcase the importance of SME developers in meeting national housing targets.
Infrastructure Collaboration: Throughout the summer, we will be working closely with Richard and his infrastructure team at ReformUK. This collaboration focuses on aligning property development with broader national infrastructure goals, ensuring that new developments are supported by the necessary transport, energy, and digital links.
Action-Oriented Advocacy: Our focus remains on practical solutions that secure better planning outcomes and position our members for success in a changing political landscape.

Influencing the Labour Agenda: Long-Term Policy Focus

While our work with ReformUK is moving at a rapid pace, we are equally committed to ensuring the Labour Party understands the vital role of the SME developer. Antony Calvert and Matt Detzler have also formally submitted our report to the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum (NPF).

The NPF is the crucial first step in getting a party to adopt long-term policies that eventually find their way into a manifesto and, ultimately, government legislation. The Forum officially closed on the 11th, and the next few months will see the party review all submissions. By getting in early and providing a data-backed, professional report, we are ensuring that the Labour leadership sees property development not as a problem to be managed, but as the primary engine for UK prosperity.

Our message to Labour is simple: To achieve their growth targets, they must leverage the agility and expertise of the SME sector. We are advocating for a planning system that is predictable, efficient, and, above all, supportive of those who who wish to build.

Why the “SME Engine” is the Key to UK Prosperity

At TrustedLand, we often refer to our network as the “SME engine.” Why? Because while the major housebuilders often dominate the headlines, it is the thousands of SME developers, landowners, and consultants who provide the opportunity for variety, and innovation, driven by local knowledge.

When we talk to politicians like Reform or the Labour policy team, we focus on three core pillars:

Economic Growth: Construction and development have massive multiplier effects. Every pound invested in an SME development project ripples through the local economy, supporting tradespeople, suppliers, and professional services.
Housing Delivery: Large-scale sites are important, but they take years to deliver. SMEs are the ones who can move quickly on smaller, complex sites, bringing new homes to market faster and more efficiently.
Local Impact: SME developers are part of the communities they build in. They care about local aesthetics, local needs, and local legacies. This “human-centric” approach to development is exactly what’s needed to win over public support for new projects.

By focusing on these pillars, we are changing the narrative. We are moving away from the “developer vs. community” trope and towards a vision of collaborative growth that benefits everyone.

What This Means for You

You might be wondering, “What does a meeting in Westminster actually mean for my site in the Home Counties?” The answer is: Everything.

Policy dictates the rules of the game. It determines how easy it is to get planning permission, what the tax implications of your investment will be, and how much “red tape” you have to cut through before you can break ground. By influencing these policies now, we are:

Reducing Planning Risk: We are pushing for a “presumption in favour of sustainable development” that actually has teeth for SME sites. Learn more about how we help mitigate planning risks.
Unlocking Land: Our advocacy aims to make it easier for landowners to bring sites forward for development without fear of endless appeals and delays.
Increasing Investment: When policy is clear and supportive, lenders are more willing to provide the capital needed for ambitious projects.

Whether you are a developer looking for your next site or a landowner wanting to realise the value of your asset, our work behind the scenes is designed to make your journey smoother and more profitable.

The Summer Ahead: Dive Deep into Development

As we move into the summer months, our work is only intensifying. We aren’t just waiting for the party conferences in September; we are actively shaping the papers that will be presented there.

If you want to be part of a community that doesn’t just watch the news but helps write it, now is the time to get involved. Our regular networking events and member discussions are the perfect places to share your insights, which we then feed back to our advocacy partners at CalComms.

Position yourself at the forefront of the industry by staying informed and engaged. The 2026 political landscape is shifting, and TrustedLand is making sure those shifts benefit the SME community.

Join the Charge

The “SME engine” is revving up. With partners like Antony Calvert and Matt Detzler leading the charge in Westminster, and a community of over 7,000 businesses behind us, TrustedLand is uniquely positioned to drive real change.

Don’t miss out on the latest updates and opportunities:

Follow our progress: We will be providing regular updates on our work with the ReformUK infrastructure team throughout the summer.
Attend our events: Join us at our next networking breakfast to hear more about our policy successes.
Become a member: Access exclusive insights and help us boost SME home production.

The future of UK property development is being decided now. Let’s make sure it’s a future where SMEs thrive.