All Expert comment articles
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InsightIt’s a watershed moment for MMC
The term ‘modern methods of construction’, or MMC, has been bandied around for more than two decades and it’s safe to say that it’s no longer being considered a fringe theme on the news agenda.
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Insight
The rise of our forgotten towns
The past year has had a devastating effect on towns and cities up and down the country. As well as big metropolitan hubs, smaller regional centres have been hollowed out as people stayed at home, worked remotely and rightly did whatever they could to minimise the spread of Covid-19.
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Insight
When it comes to ESG, focusing on ‘S’ and ‘G’ is vital
While ESG has been high on agendas for some time, Covid-19 has thrust it into the spotlight. With the industry contributing 40% of global carbon emissions, the ‘E’ has taken centre stage so far.
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Insight
Bringing some sunshine into retail
A Pharmacy2U vaccination centre popped up last week in a former Laura Ashley store in the Fremlin Walk shopping centre in Maidstone. The signage is pop-up, not permanent. But some feel an injection of outpatient treatment centres into shopping centres could inoculate some stores against death by Amazon.
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Insight
Why all of London’s West End needs ‘levelling up’
‘Levelling up’ is a term used a lot by government to address disparities between north and south, but there is a danger central London will also become uneven in its prosperity as we climb off the floor after Covid-19.
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Online
The government’s Pushmi-Pullyu strategy suggests Dr Doolittle is really in charge
There is an underbelly of inequality in the hospitality sector that is causing incredibly turbulent times. Almost every proclamation from the government swings operators and even entire sectors from the haves to the have nots.
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Insight
Landlords, beware the cross-class cram down
The Virgin Active Restructuring Plan was put to the test at the hearing before the High court which, to the collective dismay of UK landlords, saw the plan and “cross-class cram down” sanctioned.
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Insight
Grey space: lessons for landlords
If traditional CRE landlords had previously been deaf to the siren song of flexible workspace, the emergent phenomenon of ‘grey space’ is now prompting increasing numbers of landlords to listen closely.
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Insight
Ditch the sou’wester for shades
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” a now newly octogenarian Bob Dylan howled in 1965’s Subterranean Homesick Blues. As for housing, you definitely don’t need an economist to know which way prices are going.
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Insight
How BTR can help build recovery
After a few false starts, current signals suggest we are gradually heading back to a more ‘normal’ way of life. Increasingly, when I speak to people over Zoom they are in the office and my favourite restaurants are booked solid.
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Insight
Why developer tax is bad news
We can all agree that many of those in their retirement years have needed our support more in the past 18 months than ever before.
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Insight
Laboratories must adapt or die
For the past 20-plus years, the life sciences industry has been focused on flexibility, where laboratories are planned and created with all systems and services in place, often before it is fully known what processes and technologies are needed.
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Online
High Court CVA decision rules in favour of New Look
The decision in the New Look CVA challenge has been viewed with disappointment by landlords with the High Court rejecting all grounds of challenge pursued and ratifying the CVA as being lawful.
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Online
Propertyshe Perspectives: Grosvenor’s new type of landlord and tenant relationship, a customer-centric future for the workplace, Etsy buys Depop, coalition demands Better Business Act
Although there was disappointing news this week with Portugal going onto the amber travel list, it is so reassuring to see London coming back to life.
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Insight
Experiences are the linchpin of a meaningful education
Like many people over the past year, I have become familiar with the arrival of an email that brings the news that an event has either been postponed or cancelled in its entirety, sometimes for the second year in a row.
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Insight
Leadership in ESG is critical for the City’s future success
Huge attention has been paid to the future of the City of London as the premier office location, but core to that world-leading offer and continuing confidence is leadership on environmental, social and governance issues.
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Insight
What cities must change in order to emerge stronger from the pandemic
While the pandemic has massively disrupted city life and vibrancy, Europe’s civic leaders and urbanists remain optimistic about the future of cities. However, what is needed for cities to emerge stronger from the crisis?
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Insight
The Big Apple’s office return
New York City is not quite ready to party. True, the vaccines have routed coronavirus – a seeming miracle after last year’s horrific ‘epicenter’ death toll. Coney Island’s rollercoasters are roaring again.
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Insight
Greenwashing is a threat we should all seek to challenge
The world has been thinking and talking about net zero for a long time. The claims have been bold and the pledges plentiful, but it’s hard to tell how much progress has been made, not least because the pledges are working to such long-term horizons.
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Insight
Evolve fast if you want to survive
Much hope and optimism has been placed on the opening up of the UK’s retail and hospitality sector as it welcomes customers back, in line with national guidelines.
