"The findings send a clear message. After a period of prolonged uncertainty, confidence has returned to the UK real estate market"
- Nathan Spencer - UKREiiF
Confidence in the UK’s real estate and infrastructure sectors has seen a marked increase, according to a major new sentiment survey conducted ahead of the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025.
The survey, carried out by UKREiiF in partnership with Holistic Insight, gathered responses from 10,874 professionals spanning all corners of the property and infrastructure industry. It indicates a sharp rise in optimism across regions, sectors and roles, with 70% of respondents expressing a positive outlook for the year ahead. That figure marks an 18-point increase from the previous year, while negative sentiment dropped from 17% to 6%, and neutral responses declined to 24%.
This is the largest sentiment study UKREiiF has undertaken and represents a significant cross-section of the market, including developers, funders, contractors, consultants, architects, occupiers, and public sector representatives.
Confidence has grown in every part of the country. Scotland recorded a rise in positive sentiment from 47% to 67%, while the South West jumped from 55% to 74%. Other notable increases include the South East (52% to 70%), Wales (53% to 71%), and London (52% to 69%). Yorkshire, the Midlands, and the North West all posted similar gains.
Negative sentiment fell consistently across regions, with the South East, North West and London showing declines of up to 12 percentage points.
The uplift was seen not only geographically but throughout the development lifecycle. Significant improvements in sentiment were recorded among developers, investors, councils, occupiers and government, with developers showing the largest increase. Supply chain confidence followed a similar pattern. Positivity rose by 18 points among consultants and design teams and by 14 points among contractors.
Among the most confident professional groups were recruitment firms (82% positive), data analytics providers (80%) and housebuilders (78%). Accountancy firms and occupiers followed closely, both above 75%.
However, challenges remain. The public sector reported the highest level of negative sentiment at 8%, followed by developers at 7%. Key pressures include finance constraints, planning delays, and economic uncertainty. For over half of the developers surveyed, the UK planning system was a top concern. Public sector respondents most often cited geopolitical instability, followed by cost pressures.
Across the board, five challenges stood out:
Geopolitical instability (48%)
Inflation and rising costs (41%)
The UK planning system (35%)
Political uncertainty (33%)
Access to finance (30%)
The distribution of concerns varied by role. Developers pointed to planning and inflation; investors and funders were more focused on geopolitical issues and interest rates. Contractors most often cited political instability and inflation. Recruitment professionals raised concerns about talent retention and the broader political environment.
The results suggest a sector that is gradually shifting from caution to action. Confidence is returning, but the data also points to where reform is needed. Targeted responses, especially around planning, finance and long-term policy stability, may be key to sustaining this momentum.
“UKREiiF is in its fourth year and brings together professionals from across the real estate and infrastructure sectors," comments managing director of UKREiiF, Nathan Spencer. "In 2025, it is expecting approximately 16,000 attendees, which gave us the perfect opportunity to undertake a sector-wide sentiment survey."
"The findings send a clear message. After a period of prolonged uncertainty, confidence has returned to the UK real estate market. Nearly 70% of professionals we surveyed are optimistic about the year ahead, and that positivity runs right across the country and every part of the industry. We hope this research helps drive meaningful conversations at the UKREiiF event in Leeds this year.”
Nicola Hanser, director of Holistic Insight, added, “What’s particularly powerful about this survey is that it captures sentiment from across the full breadth of the sector."
"It shows not only where confidence is growing, but what’s driving it – and where challenges remain. Through the survey, we now have clear insight into the areas that need attention, such as planning reform, policy clarity, access to finance, ESG delivery and long-term talent development. It’s a great resource for the property industry as it navigates an uncertain market and plans ahead.”
