Peter Bill
Peter Bill is a former property editor, journalist, columnist for the Evening Standard from 2007-15 and author of Planet Property. You can follow him on Twitter @peterproperty
InsightLevitt’ll set RICS change agenda
Five members of the RICS Governing Council (GC) are absorbing a 400-page report by Alison Levitt QC on the circumstances surrounding the sacking of four members of the institution’s management board in November 2019. This steering group will issue directions to the ruling body’s other 21 members.
- Insight
From cold war to homes front
Urban & Civic intends to double in size over the next five years. In January, the master-developer, founded by Nigel Hugill and Robin Butler in 2009, was bought for £506m by the Wellcome Trust. Peter Pereira Gray runs the trust’s £32bn portfolio, which gained 12.9% in value last year.
- 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.
- Insight
Planning Bill won’t change a thing
To start, a diatribe on the dogma endangering the Planning Bill proposed in the Queen’s Speech last week.
- Insight
Marketing won’t save the planet
George Orwell said: “The slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.” Yes, and for others to read them. Everyone in real estate treats everyone else in the game as foolish, at least when it comes to trumpeting projects.
- Insight
I spy tenants for the Millbank refurbishment
A decade into a debate on ways to restore the Palace of Westminster, the grand and good greyheads in charge will be gratified to learn the passage of time has opened up a new decant option. Room enough for 1,500 displaced parliamentary staff will become available at 7 Millbank in ...
- Insight
Will this be the year the IPSX idea floats?
PrimeLocation was launched in 2001 after nearly 200 agents, including Savills and Knight Frank, raised £11m to fund one of those new-fangled websites.
- Insight
SEGRO, CPPIB and boxing clever
Word has it SEGRO is seeking a plot in or around the Square Mile on which to dig a ruddy great big hole.
- Insight
Covid crunch is coming for offices
On Tuesday, the City of London Corporation gave permission for a 12-storey groundscraper set on the frayed eastern rim of the City. The 304,000 sq ft brise soleil-wrapped block (pictured) would look fine on sunny Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. On dull old Aldgate? Gaspingly out of place.
- Insight
Spinning beach ball Babylon
On a breezy spring day in 2013, I gazed out upon a giant beach ball, tethered to the roof of a building adjacent to Old Street roundabout, north of the Square Mile.
- Insight
Time to restore trust in valuers
In July, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) directed four big accountants to set apart their audit arms by 2024.
- Insight
Factoids and housing crisis fixes
Rodding the planning drains may improve the flow of applications. But Boris Johnson’s claim that reforms contained in ‘Planning for the Future’ will increase the volume of new homes is humbug.
- Insight
Diversity goes beyond box ticking
Hiring more women? Tick. Hiring more BAME people? Tick. These days, there is no point in even pitching for work without slides proving your diversity and inclusion credentials.
- Insight
Learning from the past master
A pity Richard Desmond did not follow the late Tony Pidgley’s footwork when trying to double the size on his now-notorious scheme for 1,500 flats at Westferry Printworks on the Isle of Dogs – if only to understand how Berkeley got permission to build 1,280 flats on a plot one ...
- Online
Obituary: Tony Pidgley – ‘the best teacher in the business’
Planet Property author and former EG editor Peter Bill shares his memories of Berkeley Group boss, Tony Pidgley, who it was announced on Friday has died.
- Insight
Listing ships and a circus
David Atkins is still at the wheel at Hammerson until a replacement chief executive is found. On Monday, Rob Noel entered the map room of the drifting retail giant as incoming chairman. The former Landsec boss is now in charge of plotting the future direction of the listing ship, with ...
- Insight
Don’t go boldly into the storm
Next Wednesday, 27 May, British Land is likely to declare a stonking loss for the year to March, caused by valuation shrinkage within the £4.8bn retail portfolio.
- Insight
The guessing games are in full swing
As suggested here on 27 March, the level of grace under Covid-19 pressure will define reputations post-pandemic: that decency, or lack of it, will be remembered on the far side. Four weeks closer to the far side, grace and its twin virtue, decency, continue to predominate.
- Insight
Time to show grace under pressure
“Mummy? Daddy? What did you do during the time of coronavirus?”
- Insight
You have to feel for LSH staff
Feel for Lambert Smith Hampton staff. By the time you read this, one of two things will have happened: either LSH will have been acquired by reclusive Dane John Bengt Moeller; or the 950 staff will still be in the unwanted hands of estate agency group Countrywide, which has been ...
