All Feedback articles – Page 20
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InsightJenrick was right to challenge mayor’s London plan
Editor: Given the difficult situation we are in, secretary of state for housing Robert Jenrick’s intervention to prevent mayor Sadiq Khan from publishing the London Plan until requested changes have been made may have slipped through largely unnoticed.
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InsightHousing: it’s time to reassess density
Editor: While the concept of social distancing has stalled the majority of the country’s housebuilding projects , it has also raised the question of whether today’s new homes and developments can handle future pandemics.
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InsightMany factors affect wellbeing of office employees
Editor: In his article, Simon Creasey correctly noted the importance of air quality in offices to the wellbeing of staff .
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InsightPurpose of valuation has been lost
Editor: As a retired chartered valuation surveyor with more than 40 years’ experience, I fear that the current debate about valuation models suggests that the profession has lost sight of the fundamental nature and purpose of valuation .
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OnlineIndustry has yet to grasp the benefits of proptech
The recent Oxford Future of Real Estate Initiative report showing that the UK is leading proptech investment into Europe was encouraging news.
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InsightMore action is required on business rates relief
Editor: Some businesses can breathe a little easier following last week’s Budget. As Property Week reported, the chancellor announced that any eligible retail, leisure or hospitality business with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will pay no business rates this year .
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InsightBudget measures must help everyone
Editor: Extra business rates relief measures announced by the chancellor this week, added to those in the Budget, should go far in helping the retail and leisure sector through the worst of the current coronavirus crisis .
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InsightCreative thinking needed to fund low-cost housing
Editor: In a recent article, Graham Lanktree reported that 34% of local authorities missed their housebuilding targets in 2019 .
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InsightFiresales: alternative lenders should step in
Editor: There were claims last week that Hammerson could be forced into a firesale after it reported slashing £800m from the value of its portfolio. Rival intu is also reported to be at risk if it fails to raise fresh equity to pay down its £4.7bn debt pile .
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InsightValuers need clear guidance from RICS
Editor: As a chartered surveyor, I am encouraged to see RICS’ plan to evaluate its practices to ensure public trust in surveyors .
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OnlineRICS must update its valuation methods if it wants to remain relevant
RICS’ move to regain any lost public trust in the chartered surveying profession is of course to be warmly welcomed. However, in focusing only on public trust, RICS is at risk of ignoring (and losing) the trust of the wider property industry.
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InsightInfrastructure plan is needed to drive EV take-up
Editor: The government’s decision to bring forward the ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars to 2035 is clearly welcome and extremely important for the environment. But it is not particularly helpful, as the electric vehicle market is still in its infancy (PropertyWeek.com).
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InsightCan we expect more ‘hobbit homes’?
Editor: With changes to planning mooted in order to hit government housebuilding targets, the drive for quantity may have a negative effect on the quality of space in UK homes (‘ What does the election result mean for the planning system ?’).
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InsightAirspace development: involve stakeholders early
Editor: The prospect of creating new homes in the ‘air rights’ on top of existing buildings offers the opportunity to significantly increase the number of homes being built, which could help ease the housing crisis in London .
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InsightTech is key to solving housing crisis
Editor: Ritam Gandhi’s recent article was a timely reminder that tech is indeed crucial to solving the UK’s housing crisis .
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InsightOutlook for residential sector is bound to improve
Editor: Your article last week, ‘ Institutional investors looking to invest more in the resi sector ’, revealed a not unsurprising trend. With Brexit certainty and the ‘Boris bounce’ effect taking hold, the outlook for property – particularly residential – is bound to improve.
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InsightWe must connect north’s thriving cities
Editor: At last, HS2 has been given the green light .
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InsightDemand for affordable student homes must be met
Editor: Your recent piece exploring the pitfalls for investors as student accommodation booms makes clear that the evolving asset class has emerged as a mainstream investment . However, it misses one of the most significant issues facing the sector: an overweighting in new luxury supply against a shortage of more ...
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InsightJV represents future of workspace
Editor: It was exciting to read about the partnership between Serendipity Labs and Newable and its co-working launch in the UK .
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InsightIt’s no surprise flex office providers are expanding
Editor: Your recent article ‘ Over 1,000 companies to open new post-Brexit offices in UK ’ is further evidence that Brexit-related doom and gloom in the UK property market has been misplaced. The evidence indicates that the UK is still open for business – and the office sector especially looks ...
