Patrick Gower Editorial
Property Week
Patrick joined Property Week in Spring 2011 from construction news and covers industrial, legal, public policy, out of town offices, Birmingham and Bristol.
Stories by this contributor.
-
French Connections
8 March 2013
What really goes on at MIPIM?
-
Resolution in Alphabeta testing on City fringe
1 March 2013
A bronze statue of Mercury, the wing-heeled messenger to the gods, looks out over the scruffy northern fringe of the City of London from atop the tower of Triton Court — a symbol of a time gone by.
-
UGL grows on DTZ success
27 February 2013
DTZ’s parent company UGL today said its property business revenues had increased 36% in the final six months of 2012, aided by the “aggressive expansion” of DTZ.
-
Intu forms debt vehicle
27 February 2013
Intu has established a new debt vehicle to refinance four of its shopping centres and completed a £250.5m deal to buy Midsummer Place in Milton Keynes.
-
Barratt profits soar as lending conditions improve
27 February 2013
Barratt Developments today said pre-tax profits rose 113% in the final six months of 2012, crediting better lending conditions and the government’s NewBuy scheme for the improvement.
-
Intu forms debt vehicle and completes Midsummer deal
27 February 2013
Intu has established a new debt vehicle to refinance four of its shopping centres and completed a £250.5m deal to buy Midsummer Place in Milton Keynes.
-
Segro NAV dips as it continues “non-core” sell-off
27 February 2013
Segro’s net asset value (NAV) dipped 6.2% in 2012 due to the performance of its “non-strategic” assets and south east offices.
-
Redrow profits grow as house prices rise
26 February 2013
Housebuilder Redrow said profit before tax rose 50% in the second half of 2012 aided by an increased gross margin.
-
All but four London Boroughs seek to block office-to-resi conversions
25 February 2013
All but four of London’s Boroughs are likely to seek an exemption from new rules making it easier for developers to convert offices into homes.
-
Persimmon profits rise more than 50%
25 February 2013
Persimmon profits rose 52% in 2012 as the government’s Funding for Lending scheme reduced mortgage rates.
-
Bovis posts profits hike as margins rise
25 February 2013
Bovis Homes delivered a 34% increase in profit in 2012 in what it called a “challenging but stable market environment”.
-
Barratt buys West End block for £100m office-to-resi scheme
25 February 2013
Barratt London has bought an office and retail block in Westminster for a £100m residential development.
-
Intu confirms Milton Keynes talks
25 February 2013
Intu Properties has confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” to acquire a £250 Milton Keynes shopping centre from Legal & General Property, as revealed by Property Week.
-
Intu confirms Milton Keynes talks
25 February 2013
Intu Properties has confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” to acquire a £250 Milton Keynes shopping centre from Legal & General Property, as revealed by Property Week.
-
Nuffield Health begins 40,000 sq ft south east search
22 February 2013
Nuffield Health has started search for a new 40,000 sq ft headquarters in Guildford.
-
Ireland launches biggest-ever sale as it liquidates IBRC
22 February 2013
Future of investors’ assets uncertain as KPMG instructed to sell up to £18.7bn of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation’s commercial property and loans
-
Battle lines drawn on rights-of-light reforms
22 February 2013
Mayoral advisers praise Law Commission’s proposals but others voice concern for homeowners
-
Bruntwood secures debt extension
20 February 2013
Bruntwood has agreed a £229m extension of its commercial mortgage-backed securitisation (CMBS).
-
London to borrow £1bn for tube extension
20 February 2013
The Greater London Authority plans to borrow up to £1bn from the taxpayer to pay for the extension of the Northern Line to Battersea, with a repayment guarantee provided by the government.
-
Heron in tower refinancing
20 February 2013
Gerald Ronson’s Heron international is in talks to refinance a £370m loan used to finance the construction of the Heron Tower.
-
Bruntwood secures debt extension
20 February 2013
Bruntwood has agreed a £229m extension of its commercial mortgage-backed securitisation (CMBS).
-
Agents appointed at Zig Zag
18 February 2013
Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank have been appointed as leasing agents at Land Securities’ Zig Zag building next to Westminster City Hall.
-
CBRE senior director leaves for Colliers
18 February 2013
A CBRE senior director has left the company to join Colliers.
-
‘Godfather of sheds’ in Euro comeback
15 February 2013
John Cutts sets up new company to capitalise on impending logistics boom
-
Tesco completes £490m sale and leaseback
13 February 2013
Tesco has completed a £490m sale and leaseback of four trading stores and three mixed-use trading sites.
-
Savills auction raises more than £50m
12 February 2013
Savills residential property auction yesterday raised more than £50m – a record for the property services firm.
-
Cushman & Wakefield appointed on Principal Place
12 February 2013
Brookfield Office Properties has appointed Cushman & Wakefield as letting agent on the 600,000 sq ft Principal Place scheme in the City of London.
-
Canary Wharf buys Tower Hamlets site from Telereal Trillium
12 February 2013
Canary Wharf Group has bought a 0.25 acre site at Limehouse Cut, Tower Hamlets from Telereal Trillium.
-
JLL to make UK board appointments
12 February 2013
Jones Lang LaSalle will appoint three new board members for its UK business and a managing director for its business in Poland on 1 April 2013.
-
JLL to make UK board appointments
12 February 2013
Jones Lang LaSalle will appoint three new board members for its UK business and a managing director for its business in Poland on 1 April 2013.
-
Lords revolt at valuation delay
8 February 2013
Peers demand government officers explain discredited data used to justify revaluation postponement
-
Tchenguiz £200m claim revealed
6 February 2013
Vincent Tchenguiz has released details of his claim for damages against the Serious Fraud Office that includes an accusation that the former director of the SFO committed “misfeasance in public office”.
-
Tchenguiz £200m claim revealed
6 February 2013
Vincent Tchenguiz has released details of his claim for damages against the Serious Fraud Office that includes an accusation that the former director of the SFO committed “misfeasance in public office”.
-
BP signs 130,000 sq ft Heathrow prelet
6 February 2013
BP has completed a 130,000 sq ft prelet at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership’s New Square property at Bedfont Lakes, Heathrow.
-
Cluttons to open City office
6 February 2013
Cluttons has said it will open an office in the City of London.
-
Lords pass revaluation delay
6 February 2013
An attempt to force the government to consult with the property and retail industries before delaying the revaluation of business rates has been ignored.
-
Boris wants £1.3bn stamp duty receipts
6 February 2013
Boris Johnson will once more call on the government to allow London to retain stamp duty receipts worth £1.3bn a year.
-
Quintain: London good but regions challenging
6 February 2013
Quintain has made progress on its London schemes but said disposing of non-core assets outside of London remains challenging.
-
Grainger: Institutional investment defying fragile housing market
6 February 2013
Grainger has said institutional investor interest in the UK residential market is growing despite the “fragile” housing market.
-
Quintain: London good but regions challenging
6 February 2013
Quintain has made progress on its London schemes but said disposing of non-core assets outside of London remains challenging.
-
Foreign buyers push Allsop commercial auction to 84% success
5 February 2013
Allsop’s commercial auction today raised more than £40m in a sale dominated by overseas buyers.
-
British Land and Blackstone appoint agents at Broadgate
5 February 2013
British Land and Blackstone have appointed agents to dispose of 100,000 sq ft of office space at 1 and 2 Broadgate.
-
Police extend Pullen investigation
5 February 2013
The City of London Police are still investigating the former CBRE director Matt Pullen, who was arrested on suspicion of rape in November 2012.
-
Pullen police investigation extended
5 February 2013
The City of London Police are still investigating the former CBRE director Matt Pullen, who was arrested on suspicion of rape in October 2012.
-
EC Harris and Jorden Salata create CMBS tie up
4 February 2013
EC Harris and Jorden Salata have formed a joint venture to offer services to companies struggling with maturing debts.
-
Streamlined planning proposals cause hitch
1 February 2013
Developer and retailers wary of Growth and Infrastructure Bill that could exclude councils
-
Carisbrooke calls in Cavalry to buy back Anglo Irish schemes
1 February 2013
Developer purchases £80m of regional properties previously owned with bank in joint venture
-
Blackstone's continental shift
1 February 2013
Chief appointed to new business Logicor to oversee 26m sq ft of European sheds.
-
Defence giant closes in on 200,000 sq ft headquarters
30 January 2013
Europe’s biggest defence electronics manufacturer Thales is narrowing its search for a 200,000 sq ft headquarters in the south east, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.
-
Grant Thornton in HQ search due to high speed rail
29 January 2013
Accountancy firm Grant Thornton is searching for 70,000 sq ft of office space in central London.
-
Michael Elliott’s Howes joins DTZ
29 January 2013
Sean Howes has rejoined DTZ as senior director after leaving central London agency Michael Elliott.
-
Blackstone launches Europe sheds company
29 January 2013
Blackstone has recruited Mo Barzegar, a former managing director for Europe of AMB, as president and chief executive of its European logistics business Logicor.
-
Blackstone launches European sheds business with new CEO
29 January 2013
Blackstone has recruited Mo Barzegar, a former managing director for Europe of AMB, as president and chief executive of its European logistics business Logicor.
-
Property insolvencies fall 16% in 2012
29 January 2013
The number of property company insolvencies dropped nearly 16% in 2012.
-
British Land reports retail resilience despite wider turmoil
29 January 2013
British Land made strong lettings progress across its retail portfolio in the third quarter of 2012 despite the wider turmoil on the high street.
-
Qatari Diar places Chelsea Barracks “under review”
29 January 2013
Qatari Diar, the Qatar emirate’s property arm, has put the £3bn Chelsea Barracks housing development “under review”.
-
British Land reports retail resilience despite wider turmoil
29 January 2013
British Land made strong lettings progress across its retail portfolio in the third quarter of 2012 despite the wider turmoil on the high street.
-
Reading’s Blade lands two tenants
28 January 2013
Hays Recruitment and research outsourcing company Rocsearch have taken 11,095 sq ft at The Blade in Reading.
-
Stamp duty hike damaging UK housing, BPF tells Lords
28 January 2013
The government’s 15% stamp duty rate is damaging investment in UK housing, the British Property Federation told a Committee of Lords today.
-
University of Liverpool in London deal for new campus
28 January 2013
The University of Liverpool is to occupy 75,000 sq ft at 33 Finsbury Square in London where it will open a new campus.
-
Lords split could force rates rethink
25 January 2013
Business secretary Vince Cable lobbies MPs to “review” 2015 revaluation
-
Pepsi looks to West London in HQ search
25 January 2013
Drinks brand ponders Reading exit in favour of 120,000 sq ft headquarters in capital or Heathrow.
-
Office-to-resi pledge leaves industry searching for details
25 January 2013
Freedom to convert without planning consent causes confusion and runs counter to localism
-
New rules unlock office-to-residential conversions
24 January 2013
The government has published a new permitted development right to allow office space to be converted into homes without planning permission from a council.
-
Malaysian frontrunner for £220m City deal
23 January 2013
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) is close to selling a striking City office block for £220m, after buying it at the bottom of the market for £183m, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.
-
Malaysian pension fund frontrunner for £220m City deal
23 January 2013
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) is close to selling a striking City office block for £220m, after buying it at the bottom of the market for £183m, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.
-
Prologis to build 1m sq ft US shed for Amazon
22 January 2013
Prologis has signed a deal with Amazon for a 1m sq ft distribution centre in California.
-
Prupim lands Medidata in Hammersmith
22 January 2013
Clinical technology company Medidata Solutions has signed for 23,000 sq ft at Prupim’s The Metro Building in Hammersmith.
-
SWIP secures Dnata at Heathrow
22 January 2013
Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has prelet the second phase of its Heathrow cargo park to cargo handling company Dnata.
-
Government dusts off office to residential conversions
22 January 2013
The government is dusting off plans to scrap the rules guarding office to residential conversions in an attempt to boost the UK’s housing supply.
-
Giant US fund close to £130m London sale
21 January 2013
One of the world’s largest pension funds is close to completing the sale of a Docklands office complex for more than £130m in a debt-driven deal, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.
-
Giant US fund close to £130m London sale
21 January 2013
One of the world’s largest pension funds is close to completing the sale of a Docklands office complex for more than £130m in a debt-driven deal, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.
-
Scottish government attempts to spark growth with rates relief
21 January 2013
The Scottish government is to give selected schemes business rates relief of up to 100% in an attempt to encourage the development of new business premises.
-
Blockbuster administrators to close a further 129 stores
21 January 2013
The joint administrators to Blockbuster have confirmed plans to close 129 stores, in addition to the 31 stores already put on notice of closure.
-
Wild card
18 January 2013
Achilleas Kallakis has been found guilty of fraudulently obtaining £740m in property loans from Allied Irish bank. Patrick Gower reveals how the World Series poker player and property tycoon bluffed his way to the top — only to spectacularly crash
-
BUSTED FLUSH
18 January 2013
Property tycoon and poker player Achilleas Kallakis found guilty of £760m fraud
-
Busted flush: Kallakis found guilty of £760m fraud
18 January 2013
Property tycoon and poker player Achilleas Kallakis found guilty of £760m fraud
-
Unite chief battles snow, sleep loss and -50º in Antarctica
18 January 2013
Endurance fanatic Mark Allan “walked the last degree” in South Pole challenge and raised more than £50,000 for charity
-
Tycoon sentenced to 7 years in prison
17 January 2013
Achilleas Kallakis has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his part in a £766m fraud.
-
Tycoon sentenced to 7 years in prison
17 January 2013
Achilleas Kallakis has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his part in a £766m fraud.
-
British Land makes raft of promotions
16 January 2013
British Land has appointed Ben Grose as its new head of Europe and head of the Hercules Unit Trust as part of a raft of management changes.
-
Kallakis trial: The verdict
16 January 2013
Property entrepreneurs Achilleas Kallakis and Alexander Williams have been found guilty of fraud.
-
Kallakis trial: The verdict
16 January 2013
Property entrepreneurs Achilleas Kallakis and Alexander Williams have been found guilty of fraud.
-
Savills appoints new shed head
14 January 2013
Savills has appointed industrial director Richard Sullivan as the new head of its industrial team.
-
Industrial guru dies in swimming accident
14 January 2013
John Sims, the pioneer of multi-let industrial property investment, has died.
-
Industrial guru dies in swimming accident
14 January 2013
John Sims, the pioneer of multi-let industrial property investment, has died.
-
Highcross secures £175m funding package
14 January 2013
Highcross has secured a £175m loan package from the Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate and Institutional Banking, Barclays, HSBC and Santander.
-
Jurors to deliberate as Kallakis trial draws to a close
11 January 2013
Defence lawyers criticise banks’ “rapacious lust for lending” during boom
-
One New Change offices fully let
10 January 2013
Land Securities has let the last remaining office space at its City development One New Change.
-
One New Change offices fully let
10 January 2013
Land Securities has let the last remaining office space at its City development One New Change.
-
Council secures largest Essex letting in a decade
10 January 2013
Investment platform provider Cofunds has signed the largest letting in Essex for a decade, taking more than 70,000 sq ft at an empty council building in Braintree.
-
Legal & General secures Hasbro at Stockley Park
9 January 2013
Legal & General Property has completed a 49,971 sq ft letting to toy manufacturer Hasbro at 4 The Square, Stockley Park (news 16.11.12).
-
Unite student fund NAV climbs 8.7% in 2012
9 January 2013
The net asset value (NAV) of Unite’s UK Student Accommodation Fund rose 8.7% in 2012 to £678.5m, driven largely by movements in property values.
-
Muse signs development agreement for £200m Basingstoke regeneration
8 January 2013
Muse Developments has signed two development agreements with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for the £200m Basing View regeneration scheme.
-
Roxhill buys 50% stake in the Port of Tilbury distribution park
8 January 2013
Roxhill Developments has signed a joint venture with Forth Ports to develop the London Distribution Park at the Port of Tilbury.
-
Hansteen completes €40m German investment deals
7 January 2013
Hansteen has bought a €24.5m German industrial portfolio and sold a further €15.9m of German sheds.
-
Former DTZ and Drivers Jonas Deloitte directors launch asset management business
7 January 2013
Two former property services company directors have set up an asset management business focussing on the City and south east of England.
-
Hines buys £35m King Street office
2 January 2013
Hines’ Pan-European Core Fund (HECF) has bought a City of London office block from UBS Global Asset Management for £35m.
-
Hermes buys £40m Birmingham block
2 January 2013
Hermes Real Estate Investment Management has completed a deal to buy the landmark Birmingham building Baskerville House, as revealed by Property Week.
-
Property figures receive New Year’s honours
31 December 2012
Berkeley Group’s Tony Pidgley was among a select group of property industry figures included in the 2013 New Years Honours list.
