All Expert comment articles
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InsightElizabeth line will serve as catalyst for the property industry
To say that many of us in the property and construction industry were looking forward to the Elizabeth line opening would be a huge understatement. It marked a defining moment for transport and its impact will be widespread, encouraging sustainable travel by providing new journey options and reducing travelling time.
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Insight
What’s the outlook for green real estate financing?
Commercial real estate lending hit an all-time high in 2021, but how will 2022 compare?
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Insight
‘G’: the forgotten letter in ESG
It’s undeniable that governance takes a back seat to environmental and social in the ESG equation, but if real change is to take place then it may be the most important letter in the abbreviation.
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Insight
Getting the formula right for overage agreements
Overage agreements are, for many reasons, a trap for the unwary.
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News
Residents are key to hitting net zero target
Cutting carbon is crucial, but we also need to focus on how to improve the things we can’t directly control. We headed to Brighton last month for new property conference Footprint+. The event largely focused on how the property industry can improve its carbon footprint from infrastructure development, which is ...
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Online
Do we still need tower blocks?
Originally aspirational places to live in the 1950s and 1960s, tower blocks developed a reputation for anti-social behaviour and as quickly as they were built, they were demolished.
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Online
Malls can hold key to levelling up
At the heart of the government’s aspiration to regenerate regional towns and cities lies a sleeping giant that holds a significant key to levelling up: the oft-overlooked shopping centre.
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Insight
When life gives you lemons, trade property
As the pandemic started to subside, many of us in the investment community were ready to breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief: no more sitting in front of the TV nervously awaiting updates on the latest restrictions, tiers and lists.
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Online
Focusing on fundamentals is vital
That the current environment is challenging is self-evident. The impacts of supply chain disruption, labour shortages and the rising cost of raw materials and energy have combined to deliver the highest rate of inflation for 40 years.
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Online
No one can call Michael Gove idle
Say what you like about the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, but Michael Gove certainly hasn’t been idle.
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Online
Climate crisis: the onus is on us all
The spike in energy prices affecting individuals and businesses across the country brings the imperative for more energy-efficient buildings even more into focus.
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Online
Compulsory purchase orders can pave the way to successful levelling-up regeneration
Town centres are at the heart of our local communities and economies but most are in serious decline. Although this deterioration is not exactly news, the government’s levelling-up agenda has recently brought the urgency of town centre regeneration into sharp focus.
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Online
Resi investors can dodge inheritance tax trap
The central benefit of investing in property is its reliability. Consistent need, particularly for housing, means residential investment remains a popular and clear-cut investment strategy. House prices have risen over the past two years, and while we can expect a decline as the market naturally fluctuates, it is rarely a ...
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Online
Do landlords need to invest in virtual tour functionality?
During the pandemic when much of the world was working from home, we witnessed a surge in disposing agents and their respective landlords investing in virtual tour functionality. This gave landlords a solution for active occupiers during a difficult period to physically view properties
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Online
Time to support hybrid working
The freedom and convenience of working from home mean it has long been seen as the future, but it took a pandemic to make it a reality for many office workers. Now that people have the option of joining meetings with colleagues from their kitchen table or home office a ...
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News
Key points in energy strategy
The government has published its long-awaited Energy Security Strategy, setting out its goals for Britain’s progress towards greater levels of self-sufficiency through the use of renewable energy.
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Online
An urban demise seems unlikely
I am, at heart, an urban soul. And that is despite – or perhaps because of – having spent most my childhood in Morpeth, a quintessential Northumbrian market town located around 15 miles north of Newcastle.
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News
Will EPC rating deadlines lead to a two-tier ESG marketplace?
The list of dates for when non-domestic buildings have to meet increasing EPC ratings is fairly well known, and consequences for not meeting them are straightforward.
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News
The End of Help to Buy has come at the wrong time
The government’s announcement that it is bringing forward the deadline for Help to Buy is completely unfair and untimely.
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News
Collaboration is no magic bullet
Every year in our office, we ban a word. In previous years, we’ve banned words such as ‘millennial’. The M-word had been used to personify an entire generation and falsely characterise them as homogenous.
