One of the UK’s largest property companies really hates Conservative right-to-buy proposals April 14, 2015 On the whole, those at the top end of the property sector are a pretty conservative bunch – particularly when it comes to politics. After all, alienating those in control of your destiny is a fool's errand when you deal in something as politically sensitive as homes. So eyebrows in the property sector were raised [...]
Development of Nine Elms clears a hurdle April 9, 2015 ST MODWEN and the Covent Garden Market Authority yesterday reached an agreement for the redevelopment of the 57-acre development in Nine Elms, on the south bank of the Thames. The project will include a market, offices, swanky homes, and space for new start ups. Construction is expected to start this summer. Nine Elms, one of [...]
Mansion blocks are real British antiques that can command impressive prices July 9, 2015 Most people think of estate agent hyperbole as a modern affliction. After all, what’s a contemporary house viewing if it isn’t peppered with “generous” reception rooms stocked with “state-of-the-art” smart systems in “vibrant” neighbourhoods? In fact, we may have the Victorians to blame for this, starting with the “mansion flat”. The term was coined in [...]
UK house prices: We can ramp up housebuilding by turning offices into flats – if the planners let us April 1, 2015 The UK suffers from an acute housing shortage, and this has led to prices outpacing incomes in nearly every year since the early 1990s. Most government initiatives to address this problem, however, have merely resulted in greater demand for properties. In fact, the only way to tackle the issue properly is to increase supply. But [...]
Balfour Beatty clinches HK$3.2bn contract for development in Hong Kong February 23, 2015 Balfour Beatty has clinched a HK$3.2bn (£268m) contract for a joint venture with Gammon Construction for the construction of a major residential development in Hong Kong. It will create 900 residential apartments through the building of seven blocks, alongside retail and recreational facilities. The project, which also involves building a public transport interchange and five footbridges, will [...]
Stop bashing the super rich: You’ll make us all poorer October 2, 2014 FOR ALL their wealth, ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals are a tiny minority, with little clout at the ballot box. Labour’s proposed mansion tax on homes worth over £2m is just the latest assault on the super rich, who have become an easy target for politicians; the top 1 per cent of earners already [...]
House prices near Crossrail stations have risen as much as 82 per cent since it was announced March 18, 2015 House prices within a 10 minute walk of Bond Street station have risen 82 per cent since Crossrail was first announced in 2008, a report published this morning suggested – almost twice the 43 per cent rise experienced in the wider area. Bond Street isn't the only over-performing Crossrail site, though: according to Knight Frank's [...]
Volution Group results strong for first post-IPO report October 23, 2014 Fan manufacturer Volution Group has reported an 18 per cent increase in revenue during 2014, from £102m to £121m. Of this total, the company’s ventilation segment posted revenue of £101m, up 23 per cent on last year. The firm also reported a pre-tax loss of £15.5m, compared with a £4.2m loss in 2013. These [...]
Focus on Soho: West End hotspot proves that central London never stops moving April 23, 2015 Moments away from Oxford Street and its swinging sister Carnaby Street, Soho has been frequented by artists, writers and more than a few ladies of the night over the centuries. But the recent influx of boutiques, gourmet burger chains and private members’ clubs means the area has caught the eye of London’s prime property developers. [...]
City closes in on prime West End property values August 31, 2014 HOUSE values in the City of London are catching up with the West End, while Dockland prices are suffering because of oversupply, research shows. Analysis from high-end real estate agent Beauchamp Estates reveals the average price of new or second-hand properties in the City has climbed to £739,546 for the last 12 months, compared to [...]