Land with Certainty

The Society of Land Referencers (SoLR) held its annual Land with Certainty Conference on 18 September at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Over 140 people from across the infrastructure sector came together, including representatives from over 25 organisations.

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Organised entirely by volunteers, the day was packed with energy, collaboration, and clear messages about the value of land referencing.

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Key takeaways included:

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• Invest early: Budgeting for land referencing and engagement at the outset pays dividends later. Being there from the beginning helps shape project limits and demonstrate the best outcomes for people and places.

• People matter: Public support comes from being on the ground, listening, and building trust. Land referencing is, above all, a human practice.

• Collaboration counts: Land, consents, and stakeholder engagement are inseparable. Step out of comfort zones, build cross-disciplinary links, and approach landowners with one clear voice.

• Enjoy the process: It’s ok not to know the answer; clients and Land Referencers can (and should) enjoy working things out together.

• Innovation with identity: AI is a tool, but people make the difference. The profession should continue raising its profile across the sector, highlighting our expertise and digital innovations.​

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The day closed with a challenge: take a leap beyond comfort zones and keep showing the difference Land Referencers make.

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Thanks go to our sponsors: Ardent, Blackhall & Powis, Mott MacDonald, Pandell SoLR and WSP, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) for hosting us, and all our speakers and member volunteers:​​​​

• Mark Aanensen (Winckworth Sherwood)

• Lynn Alderson (Fisher German)

• Adam Anyszewski (Continuum Industries)

• Joshua Brown (Mott MacDonald)

• Alex Crow (Ardent)

• Tom Dix (Turner and Townsend)

• Martin Follmer (Kier)

• Matthew Fox (Pinsent Masons)

• Simon Harth (Mott MacDonald)

• Jim Harvey (The Message Business)

• Azhar Hussain (Apogee)

• Ben Joss (Mott MacDonald)​

• Sarah Joss (Mott MacDonald)

• Adam Lakin (Bentley Project Management)

• Nasia Lupini (WSP)

• Sam McAleese (Mott MacDonald)

• Tom Mothersole (Counter Context)

• Duncan O'Connor (TLT)

• Ashley Parry Jones (WSP)

• Chris Simpson (Mott MacDonald)

• Sukhdip Somal (Ardent)

• Caitlin Wentworth (National Grid)

• Olivia White (Cavendish Consulting)

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