All Feedback articles
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NewsForsters’ partner Du Croz on the slow path to planning reform
Government has hiked fees and proposed local authorities return money when they underperform.
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InsightHelp to Buy was no housing solution
Editor: Vernon Pethard advocates resurrecting the Help to Buy Scheme to assist young people and families on to the housing ladder (p25, 15.03.24). I profoundly disagree that this would be a sensible solution to the housing crisis.
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InsightTax breaks for retrofit projects are long overdue
Editor: Owners of heritage buildings have long been calling for greater support to help them bring their assets up to speed with sustainability targets, so it is reassuring to see the City of London Corporation releasing a retrofit toolkit.
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NewsIs scrapping FHL yet another an attack on landlords?
The biggest headline-grabbing announcement from the Spring Budget as far as the property sector is concerned is the scrapping of the Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) regime. FHL provides those who hire out furnished properties as holiday lets with various tax advantages.
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NewsWhy Help to Buy must be resurrected
While the chancellor delivered several welcome tax cuts in the Spring Budget, there was a disappointing absence of support pledged for prospective homebuyers.
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InsightConstruction industry can own digital transformation
Editor: Contrary to popular belief, a recent report has shown that the UK construction industry has been among the best at digital adoption. However, this has started to grind to a halt as a quarter (28%) of businesses in the sector believe digital transformation is easy for them to achieve.
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InsightAttitudes to safety must change now
Editor: If the property sector handled disasters like Grenfell as seriously as the airline industry takes its disasters, we would not have witnessed the horrific fatal fire in Valencia last month.
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InsightInflexible offices simply won’t cut it
Editor: In Nottingham and across the Midlands, we have seen some huge companies downsize and move into serviced office accommodation. They are doing so largely to cut costs, but the trend is also a reflection of a much-changed working environment in which employees prize greater flexibility.
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InsightHow ‘hotelification’ breathes new life into high streets
Editor: As hospitality specialist architects and interior designers, we found last week’s edition of Property Week extremely relevant. Studio Moren is the team developing the Great Tower Street property in the City of London for Dominus.
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InsightRetail sector concerns are overblown
Editor: The 3.9% drop revealed in the latest Office for National Statistics retail sales volume report for non-food stores sparked panic in the headlines. Commentators and analysts rushed to outline the chaos on the high streets, with doom-mongering soundbites and accelerated calls for Bank of England rate cuts.
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InsightWill the Budget bring clarity on stamp duty reliefs?
Editor: Speculation is already rife about the possibility of tax cuts in the Spring Budget. So far, income tax and inheritance tax have been the focus, but from a property perspective, possible reductions in the headline stamp duty land tax (SDLT) rates remain a popular theme.
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OnlineAsset managers need the right tools to maintain quality offices
I agree with the trepidation expressed in Property Week’s recent article ‘Storm clouds are gathering over the office market’.
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InsightNet zero progress is moving far too slowly
I found the recent UKGBC and RICS reports, released on Built Environment Day at COP28, to be apt testaments to the current state and sentiment for net zero in the industry.
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InsightDon’t forget affordable later living
Increased investment in affordable homes has made for welcome reading recently, including Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) launching its first affordable housing investment to back London Square Group and Square Roots.
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InsightWhich sectors will debt providers be backing in 2024?
Editor: While the lead-up to the autumn election will perhaps hinder progress, we are likely to see a boost in productivity in Q4 alongside a fall in interest rates.
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InsightHousing: will the government wake up?
It’s no secret that housing and homelessness are at the top of many local authority (LA) agendas. The unprecedented spike in the use of temporary accommodation (TA), at a cost of £1.7bn last year, is driving a coach and horses through many local budgets.
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InsightFlexible workspace is a key pillar of the office sector
In the commercial real estate sector at least, the past few months have been dominated by WeWork. Its US bankruptcy has cast a long shadow over the sector – or at least that’s what some headlines suggest.
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InsightNo sign of much-needed funds for school building
Editor: It was notable that there was no additional funding for schools in the chancellor’s Autumn Statement, despite the continuing deterioration of the estate and issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
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InsightEmbrace AI to tackle sustainability
Editor: In his Autumn Statement, chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced plans for £500m in funding for artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, including important safety and security measures.
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InsightWeWork woes do not reflect flex market sentiment
Editor: By the time WeWork officially filed for bankruptcy last month, it had started to feel like old news. The drip-feeding of WeWork’s woes over the past six months had already prepared the market for the inevitable.
