Real estate transaction volumes in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to take a dramatic jump in the latter half of the year, according to analysts at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). Volumes were up 38 per cent Q2 this year, on a quarterly basis, although this is still flat compared to last year’s figures. JLL analysts have forecast that the... Read More
Campaigners fighting to save a historic Manchester hospital have been awarded more than three-quarters of a million pounds to stabilise the 140-year-old building before its conversion to an enterprise hub. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) award will allow the Ancoats Dispensary Trust to carry out vital structural work on the Grade II... Read More
Canary Wharf Group has unveiled a new brand and vision which, the company says, reflects its “exciting evolution” as a diversified developer. Going forward, the Group will place a greater emphasis on residential and retail schemes, both within the Canary Wharf Estate and elsewhere in London. However, the company will continue with... Read More
As prices in the London commercial property market in London continue to soar, investors are increasingly turning to the leading regional markets. One of the prime locations is Manchester, with investment managers at Schroders now actively seeking opportunities within the North West’s largest city following the recent acquisition of... Read More
Four years after it stopped sending food waste to land fill sites, Sainsbury’s has become the first retailer in the country to power one of its stores with green electricity. Like the rest of the supermarkets in its chain, the Sainsbury’s store at Cannock donates all out-of-date food suitable for human consumption to local... Read More
Coopers Square shopping centre in Burton-on-Trent is to benefit from an expansion which will create four additional retail units. The extension will see a new block erected on the centre’s existing car park, just off the town’s busy Station Street. Bosses at the centre have confirmed that a number of retailers have already... Read More
British Land and Oxford Properties have announced that specialist pensions insurer Rothesay Life has signed an agreement to take level 25 of The Leadenhall Building. Level 25 of the City of London tower, also known as The Cheesegrater, provides over 13,500 sq ft of space which has been taken on a 10 year lease with a break option after... Read More
A town’s pledge to create at least 70,000 new jobs by 2031 looks set to be delivered ahead of time — with half that number expected to be filled within the next seven years. At the crossroads of Britain’s road and rail network, Northampton was recently recognised as one of the UK’s top business locations by Santander Corporate... Read More
The Frenchgate Limited Partnership – owners of Doncaster’s Frenchgate Shopping Centre– have implemented a three stage “performance plan” designed to strengthen the tenant mix at the 800,000 sq ft South Yorkshire centre. The first stage of the £10m plan, which is now underway, has seen specialist jewellery brand Pandora take... Read More
One of the country’s leading property marketing specialists looks set for expansion following a management buyout. Jules Shale is now the sole owner of Manchester-based 90degrees, a design and marketing company which specialises in the commercial property market. Government-backed finance for the takeover was arranged by... Read More
Commercial premises in the world’s first garden city have been promised a £2m makeover by the charity which owns them. The two-year improvement programme was announced by Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation as part of the organisation’s annual investment update. It comes just weeks after the charity — which owns property... Read More
The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is planning to sell off at least 80 per cent of its “senior debt” by the end of 2016, two year’s ahead of a deadline set by the Irish government. After its busiest sales quarter for three months, the agency — which is now one of the world's largest property groups — is accelerating... Read More
As consumer habits continue to change amidst the economic recovery, many high street brands are identifying a growing need to adapt in order to survive. This has led to a wave of so-called retail “chameleons” springing up in town centres throughout the UK, with these innovative new businesses finding flexible uses for commercial... Read More
Warwickshire developer IM Properties recorded a drop in profits of £6m for the financial year ended December 2013. The firm, which is known for developing large-scale distribution and logistics facilities, made pre-tax profits of £16.6m. The company noted that its dip in profits was due to the completion of its strategy to reallocate... Read More
Tower Hamlets decision to give the go-ahead for the expansion of Canary Wharf is welcome news for London's residential and commercial property sectors. The mixed-use Wood Wharf scheme will add an additional 4.9 million sq ft to London’s development pipeline and will see the construction of 30 new buildings, in which a total of 1.9... Read More
Barnet Council has launched a search for a partner to develop one of London’s largest remaining brownfield sites. It claims the plot, close to the North Circular Road, is big enough to take almost five-million sq ft of shops and 7,500 new homes. This month the authority signed a multi-million pound regeneration deal with Hammerson... Read More
The latest research from accountancy and advisory firm Deloitte indicates that consumer confidence is steadily improving and is now four points higher than a year ago. The improvement has been particularly good in the West Midlands, an area where the level of unoccupied retail properties rose sharply during the recession. The firm’s... Read More
Northern Ireland businesses have invested over £5m in new industrial and warehouse space in the first half of this year, according to a new survey. The commercial property and real estate adviser, CBRE, claims that growing demand and the need to explore new national and international markets has forced companies into buying or leasing... Read More
Multi-million pound regeneration plans for the centre of Birmingham have been boosted by the announcement that HS2 Ltd — the company behind Britain’s new high speed rail network — is moving its operational headquarters to the city from London. News of the Midland city’s biggest office let in years came just hours before the... Read More
Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar’s £1.3 billion redevelopment of London’s Shell Centre is to be challenged in the High Court, it has emerged today. The action has been launched by activist and writer George Turner who has previously questioned whether Secretary of State Eric Pickles’ approval of the plans was “legally... Read More
After a three-month search the team behind Britain’s first all-digital bank has announced its bricks-and-mortar headquarters will be in Durham City. An initial 50 members of staff will move into 10,000sq ft of the county council-owned Northumbria House this summer with the Atom Bank offices gradually spreading to take over the entire... Read More
Work has started on the £7m refurbishment of a landmark Bristol office building. When the “high-end upgrade” is completed Narrow Quay House will become the new home for expanding law firm Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV). The contract to refurbish the prominent 1970s waterfront block was awarded to the Midas Group, one of the largest... Read More
