All Feedback articles
-
Insight
Property is leading on sustainability
Editor: The prime minister’s recent changes to the UK’s important environmental commitments means there is an opportunity for a new focus when it comes to reaching net zero.
-
Insight
Net zero policy changes will have minimal impact
Editor: The prime minister’s announcement on key net zero policies has been met with widespread frustration from the public, industry and media.
-
Insight
Nutrient neutrality: we are back in limbo again
Editor: The House of Lords’ rejection of the government’s proposed nutrient neutrality solution is where people playing party politics do this country no favours at all.
-
Insight
Landlords rely on good contractors
Editor: The Housing Ombudsman’s annual review reported tenant complaints rose 104% in 2021-22, with 66% of these focusing on repairs. It seems that dissatisfaction with landlords and management companies is at an all-time high, something that has been exacerbated by concerns about the cost-of-living crisis and rising interest rates.
-
Insight
Where is the microbiome in BTR/co-living?
This may be the first time that the microbiome and build to rent (BTR)/co-living have appeared in the same sentence, which is very disappointing as the microbiome is key to individuals’ health and the buildings they live in.
-
Insight
Sell property as a compelling career
Editor: It was a wet summer for the UK, but a bright one at the 11th Pathways to Property Summer School, hosted by Henley Business School at the University of Reading.
-
Insight
Retail isn’t the answer to fill Wilko’s high street gap
Editor: Wilko, another UK high street stalwart, is teetering on the brink. News about possible rescue deals does little to reassure us that recovery for our struggling urban areas is on the horizon.
-
Insight
Why retrofit is worth investing in
Editor: Michael Gove’s decision on the Marks & Spencer proposals for its Oxford Street store (pictured) has triggered debate not just in the property sector, but beyond it. Somewhat remarkably, the challenges of retrofit and the issue of embodied carbon are now part of a national conversation.
-
Insight
Housing delivery targets looking wildly optimistic
Editor: The prime minister’s pledge to meet a manifesto promise to build a million new homes (300,000 per year) during this parliament is another reminder of how this government is struggling to grapple with the politics of housebuilding.
-
Insight
Revive retail with co-working spaces
Editor: The UK high street, a symbol of community and commerce, has undeniably faced a series of challenges in recent years.
-
Insight
Ignore the potential of new technology at your peril
Editor: I echo the enthusiasm expressed in your recent interview piece, ‘Covid’s legacy isn’t the end of offices’. I would like to suggest another key factor to consider: the strategic deployment of technology.
-
Insight
Stop viewing AI as an operational risk
Editor: I found the article ‘High hopes for AI technology’ beneficial in understanding the sentiments of the real estate industry in regard to recent technological developments. A statistic that is worth highlighting is that only 8% of respondents selected artificial intelligence (AI) as the most promising digital technology in the ...
-
Insight
Logistics needs to reach a more diverse talent pool
Editor: The recent announcement that the Generation Logistics campaign, which aims to improve recruitment and retention in the logistics workforce, has secured another year of government funding is welcome news for the sector, where there remains a critical need to expand the labour pool.
-
Insight
Green-belt narrative has to change
Editor: In PMQs late last month, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer claimed that housebuilding had “collapsed” – a sentiment felt by many in our industry. Indeed, the target of 300,000 new homes a year has not come close to being reached over the last decade.
-
News
EPC model is fundamentally flawed
Editor: I write in support of Property Week’s Get Set for Net Zero campaign and to provide some observations based on our experience of the issues raised in your recent leader column about the shortcomings of Energy Performance Certificates – or EPCs.
-
News
Gove must clearly lay out Cambridge 2040 plans
Editor: Housing secretary Michael Gove’s Cambridge 2040 plan, the attempt to turn the city into the UK’s version of Silicon Valley, has been met with trepidation. While it makes sense to capitalise on the dominance of Cambridge in the UK life sciences and wider tech sectors, it is vital the ...
-
News
It’s time to think beyond ownership
Editor: A recent report by the Centre for Cities found the UK housing market was missing 4.3 million homes. Against this supply backdrop, buying a place to live is now beyond the reach of many people.
-
Online
Investment at local level key to improving planning
Editor: On 4 July, the Local Government Association released some analysis, timed to coincide with its annual conference, showing that local authorities across England were facing a £2bn funding gap in the coming year due to continued high inflation.
-
Online
Progress on energy use is essential
Editor: I agree with your latest leader column that the Climate Change Committee’s negative assessment of progress in decarbonising buildings is deeply worrying.
-
Insight
Design buildings to stand test of time
Editor: Visitors to our studio in Wapping are drawn irresistibly to the large wharf doors, giving a panoramic view across the River Thames. Their gaze is inevitably drawn eastwards, towards the crystalline powerhouse of Canary Wharf shimmering in the distance.