All Feedback articles
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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.
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InsightStaircase law: do your due diligence
Editor: In your recent build-to-rent (BTR) report, the requirement for new-build residential buildings over 18m to have a second staircase was presented as a challenge for developers and another hurdle to overcome, but perhaps not a deal-breaker.
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InsightStrike while the London iron is hot
Editor: Uma Rajah makes a compelling case for why ‘the capital always bounces back’ when it comes to prime central London (PCL) residential property. And the prime commercial market also now presents huge opportunities following the price corrections of the past 12 months.
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InsightWeWork’s failure was predictable but avoidable
Editor: The failure of WeWork, wounded by the hubris of its co-founder Adam Neumann and propped up by SoftBank until its losses were unsupportable, was entirely predictable to those of us old enough to recall Mark Dixon in his heyday building his vehicle, Regus.
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InsightChancellor can restore confidence in net zero goals
Editor: After the government’s disappointing U-turn on net zero, the Autumn Statement is a chance for it to reinvigorate investor confidence and voter trust that it has a suitably urgent plan for tackling climate change.
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InsightClarity on business rates is a must
Editor: High street retailers’ recent calls for a cut in business rates give an early indication of the pressures the chancellor faces ahead of this year’s Autumn Statement. With all eyes on the direction of inflation and whether it will continue to drive the uniform business rate (UBR) up, businesses ...
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InsightThe open-ended fund model is outdated
Editor: Your recent front-page story asked: “Is it the end of the road for open-ended funds?” If that is the case, it has been a slow demise.
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InsightWhat do we need from a Leasehold Reform Bill?
Editor: At this stage in the electoral cycle, we need a Leasehold Reform Bill that is sufficiently comprehensive that it benefits leaseholders, while being sufficiently realistic that it can be passed before the next election.
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InsightHousing crisis: blame game unhelpful
Editor: There is a certain pantomime played out by politicians and the media when discussing housing policy, illustrated perfectly in the recent BBC programme Britain’s Housing Crisis: What Went Wrong?
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InsightWhat can BFS developers learn from BTR model?
Editor: There are inherent differences between build-for-sale (BFS) and build-to-rent (BTR) developments.
