Insight and comment
Property presses the play button
Freedom day wasn’t quite the ‘disaster day’ some had forecast, but it didn’t feel particularly liberating, did it? With Covid cases continuing to rise and some of the double-jabbed among them, it is little wonder that people remain anxious about returning to the office (or heading to the shops).
Boris failed to show leadership
I know nostalgia isn’t what it used to be, but in my time in parliament I served two prime ministers who I looked up to.
What we can expect from COP26
COP26 – the global climate summit being held in November this year – will be a defining moment for humanity.
Staycations will boost the West End
Six months ago, I reported on what a difficult year it had been for retail and hospitality, particularly in city centres.
The property sector is more nuanced than ever
For decades, the Baby Boomer generation has been able to navigate its way using the property stars, but the trusted constellations seem unusually displaced right now.
Legal and professional advice
Will the Building Safety Bill clarify who must pay for cladding costs?
Government proposes a safety regulator and developer levy, but experts criticise the use of vague language.
Q&A: Five minutes with Francesca Brady, chief executive of AirRated
Francesca Brady, chief executive of proptech company AirRated, on how she got started in property. She also shares her cultural tips, the celebrity she’d most like to meet and the superpower she wishes she had.
The pitfalls of ‘vacant possession’
If a filing cabinet is left behind after a break date, has the landlord got vacant possession?
How will consultant salary hikes affect development costs?
Recent salary surveys are predicting large hikes for consultants due to pent-up demand during the pandemic.
What approach should be taken if trespassers occupy your property?
There has been a significant rise in vacant commercial units since the start of the pandemic, leaving many properties vulnerable to trespassers.
Values dip, but rental income rises at Capco
Asset values at Capital & Counties (Capco) dipped during the first half of 2021 as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continued to bite.
TOG reports post-Covid bounce-back
Flexible workspace provider The Office Group (TOG) has reported a surge in the number of desks sold in the second quarter, citing the easing of Covid restrictions.
Unite bounces back from pandemic in first half of 2021
Student accommodation giant Unite bounced back from the Covid-19 pandemic during the first six months of the year as the likelihood of a return to a normal academic year from September increased.
Flexible workspace provider Yours signs trio of deals
Managed workspace operator Yours has signed two new occupiers and renewed with another.
UK retail property investment could reach highest level since 2017
Investment in the retail property market for the whole of 2021 could exceed £6bn, the highest level since 2017, Knight Frank has forecast.
Analysis
Q&A: New ULI head on ramping up affordable homes delivery
ULI chair Anette Simpson discusses the key post-pandemic challenges the UK housing industry is facing.
Lack of coherent guidance hampers return to the office
Landlords and occupiers left to manage return to workplaces themselves in absence of government guidance.
The housebuilder purple patch looks set to continue
Continued growth expected despite cost hikes and end of stamp duty holiday.
Industry confidence grows in post-Covid market recovery
CMS report shows mounting optimism that property market will bounce back strongly, driven by tech.
Nissan leads the charge as UK gears up for gigafactory boom
Car manufacturer teaming up with Envision AESC to build £450m car battery gigafactory at Sunderland’s IAMP.
