Building Growth: Slough Positions Itself for Delivery-Focused Investment at UKREiiF 2026

Slough is set to take a confident, delivery-led message to one of the UK’s most influential real estate gatherings this spring, as it prepares to showcase its investment potential at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum 2026 (UKREiiF).

Hosted from 19–21 May at the Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds Dock, UKREiiF brings together senior leaders from across government, development, infrastructure and investment. For Slough, the event represents a key moment to reinforce its position as a high-performing location within the Heathrow and Thames Valley corridor, one defined not just by ambition, but by deliverability.

At the heart of Slough’s presence will be a focused programme of engagement, including pre-arranged investor meetings, stakeholder discussions and targeted sessions. These have been carefully designed to move the conversation beyond promotion and firmly into action, demonstrating what can be delivered now, and why investors should act.

From strategy to delivery: a focused programme of engagement

Slough’s programme is structured as a three-day sequence, moving from strategic positioning to delivery-focused discussion and, crucially, follow-through. Activity will begin on Tuesday 19 May with a full day of meetings and networking across the main conference, creating early opportunities to engage directly with investors, partners and stakeholders.

Day 1 will close with stakeholder dinners and partner engagements, helping to build momentum and strengthen relationships ahead of the key programme day.

Come Wednesday 20 May, at 12:00pm, Slough Borough Council, represented by Shanaaz Carroll, will contribute to a panel session led by SEGRO, venue TBC. Focused on the role of data centres in supporting economic growth, employment and skills, the session will bring together industry leaders including CyrusOne and Equinix, reinforcing Slough’s position at the forefront of the UK’s digital infrastructure landscape.

Building on this opening, Slough will host a targeted, invitation-only roundtable, Slough is Now: Powering Growth Through Data and Digital Infrastructure, from 1:30-2:30pm, hosted at The Barge, 46 The Calls, Leeds, LS2 7EY. The session will bring together a select group of investors and partners to explore how digital infrastructure is actively enabling growth across housing delivery, employment and skills, and placemaking.

Following networking and a framing presentation, discussion will focus on:

• Housing delivery and the role of digital infrastructure in supporting growth

• Employment and skills pipelines linked to the data centre and technology sector

• Placemaking and the creation of sustainable, connected communities

The emphasis throughout will be on viability and deliverability, identifying what is achievable now and agreeing practical next steps. By grounding the conversation in evidence and real opportunities, the session is designed to provide clarity and confidence in Slough’s investment offer.

The day’s closing event is a flagship, open panel session, Slough is Now: Heathrow Corridor – Growth, Connectivity and Delivery, taking place from 5-6pm (location TBC). Delivered in partnership with the London boroughs of Hounslow and Hillingdon, this session will position the Heathrow economic corridor as a globally connected gateway for investment, jobs and growth. Through a panel discussion and audience Q&A, it will explore the role of infrastructure, connectivity and cross-boundary collaboration in unlocking development across West London and the Thames Valley.

The day will conclude with informal networking opportunities, including an optional drinks reception and stakeholder dinners.

The programme will close on Thursday 21 May with a breakfast networking session, followed by final meetings and follow-ups, ensuring that conversations initiated earlier in the week are carried through and translated into tangible outcomes.

Together, the three-day programme creates a clear and compelling narrative: connectivity → infrastructure → growth → delivery

A compelling regeneration story

Supporting these conversations is a strong and growing pipeline of opportunities, led by the transformation of Slough town centre. Following the acquisition of the Queensmere and Observatory Shopping Centres by the Berkeley Group, the town is entering a new phase of regeneration. Plans include around 1,600 new homes alongside commercial space, retail, leisure and community uses, supported by enhanced connectivity and public realm improvements.

This flagship project is emblematic of a wider programme of investment across the borough, spanning residential and mixed-use development, industrial and logistics in the Western Corridor, and digital infrastructure and energy.

Together, these opportunities reinforce Slough’s core proposition: scale, certainty and the ability to deliver.

Strengthening relationships and unlocking investment

UKREiiF provides a unique platform to bring together the public and private sectors in a focused environment designed to accelerate deals and unlock investment. For Slough, it is an opportunity not only to promote its offer, but to deepen relationships with key partners and engage directly with investors seeking deliverable opportunities.

Several senior representatives from Slough Borough Council’s leadership, regeneration and planning teams ­– including Will Tuckley, Chief Executive, and Dan Ray, Director of Planning Services & Chief Planning Officer – will be on hand throughout the event, ensuring that conversations are informed, responsive and grounded in practical delivery.

Pat Hayes, Executive Director of Regeneration, Environment and Planning at Slough Borough Council, said: “UKREiiF is an important opportunity for us to demonstrate that Slough is a place where development is not just planned, but happening.

“Our focus is on delivery, on creating the right conditions for investment and working in partnership to bring forward schemes that make a real difference. We are clear about our ambition, but also about our ability to deliver at pace and at scale.”

Shanaaz Carroll, Head of Economic Development at Slough Borough Council, and Neetal Rajput, Head of Planning and Building Control, will also be in attendance, working collaboratively with partners to support solutions that prioritise accessibility, safety and long-term community benefit.

From promotion to delivery

As Slough continues to evolve, its approach is increasingly defined by a clear and consistent proposition: it can move from vision to reality with confidence.

By combining robust evidence, strong partnerships and a pipeline of viable opportunities, Slough is positioning itself at the centre of one of the UK’s most dynamic economic areas. And for investors seeking certainty in an uncertain market, that message is likely to resonate.

Contact us to participate

Interested in being part of the conversation? A limited number of places are available for the Slough is Now: Powering Growth Through Data and Digital Infrastructure roundtable.

To express your interest in attending, or to arrange a meeting with the Slough is Now team at UKREiiF 2026, please get in touch – and be part of shaping Slough’s next phase of investment and growth.