Steve Jobs once said that great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.

The same can be said for the built environment and – as Place North West’s Greater Manchester Development event reminded us – nowhere is this more true than in Greater Manchester.

The public and private sectors dovetailing with one another to deliver regeneration, drive growth and enable positive change for communities should be a simple concept. However, whilst many places talk a good talk, they don’t always deliver on their aspirations.

Events such as this can often fall into the trap of being a talking shop without substance, but the speakers and panellists at Place North West’s event were not only aspirational, but demonstrated a true sense of the art of the possible.

From Bolton to Salford, Wigan to Oldham (not forgetting Manchester City itself), these are councils delivering at scale and at pace, with a vision for what our North West towns and cities should be in the future.

Suffice to say, they’ve shown how it takes a bit of northern grit to make a pearl.

What was equally refreshing was the importance placed on community-led design and creation. For so long, communities had development imposed onto them, with consultation being a tick-box exercise of no consequence.

Stuart Rogers from Muse talked eloquently about the importance of co-creation and stewardship, with real-life examples of how engagement has helped to genuinely shape development.

This is where the Government’s new New Homes Accelerator, introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, comes into play. By cutting through red tape and unblocking stalled development, the accelerator aligns perfectly with Greater Manchester’s unified vision.

It provides an ideal vehicle to get the sector building, turning ambitious plans into reality whilst driving economic growth that benefits local communities.

However, combined with the New Homes Accelerator, the drive for progress and gritty determination seen in the North mustn’t alienate the needs and aspirations of communities.

Meeting Place believes that delivering homes and development with true community input delivers better outcomes for all, with these events reminding the sector not only of the value of community engagement, but also the priority it should be given.

Interestingly, a poll conducted during the event showed just 8% of the audience felt local opposition was the biggest barrier facing development in Greater Manchester.

I would argue that’s because GM is doing it right, demonstrating that local opposition can be overcome when communities feel heard.