London Development Sites

12 November 2020

The RICS October 2020 survey of chartered surveyors who operate in the residential sales and letting markets shows increased buyer enquires, agreed sales, new instructions and prices.

5 November 2020

A Knight Frank survey of 40 leading investors with £62 billion invested in student accommodation, purpose built rented accommodation and senior living, expect to invest a further £10 billion in these sectors in 2021 and £42 billion over the next five years. This seems to indicate a diversification of investment covering all age groups. 70% of survey respondents expect these sectors to outperform others over the next 5 years.

3 November 2020

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the relocation of City Hall from its location at More London near London Bridge, to the GLA owned Crystal building on the Royal Victoria Docks. The move is expected to save £61m over the next 5 years and also act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Royal Docks.

28 October 2020

Planning content has been granted for the Perkins & Wills designed Stage Visitor Centre in Shoreditch as part of a £750m mixed use scheme. The scheme showcases the recently excavated Elizabethan theatre, the Curtain Playhouse, and features a glass stage that floats above the archaeology find.

26 October 2020

Camden Council has given planning consent for a new pedestrian bridge linking Pancras Square and Coal Drop Yard. The 25m bridge, designed by Moxon Architects and structural engineers Arup for KCCLP, takes inspiration from the lost railway bridges over the canal.

23 October 2020

Knight Frank have identified property hotspots in the UK with future growth potential. The hotspots are based on existing house prices, house price to earning ratio, housing shortages, and access to services. The resulting locations are Surrey Heath, Fareham and East Herts with either fast trains or proximity to London, Tameside with close proximity to Manchester and Chesterfield, the gateway to the Peak District.

23 October 2020

The Oxford-Cambridge Arc encompasses a concentration of knowledge intensive industries supported by world class universities. A Lambert Smith Hampton report identifies opportunities in the region in the post-COVID economic recovery. The National Infrastructure Commission has suggested that one million new homes could be created in the region by 2050; the report discusses how the opportunity should benefit local residents and the UK economy.

20 October 2020

The City of London Corporation, in partnership with Oliver Wyman and Arup have published London Recharged: Our Vision for London in 2025. Its recommendations include the need to create spaces to innovate, citing start up incubators such as Station F in France and Level 39 in London. Pilot transformation of London's office spaces to support new uses has been suggested together with the need for affordable work space for artists and SMEs.

20 October 2020

The Thames Barrier Park in the Royal Docks has won the Green Flag Award for the third year running. The award recognises well managed parks and green spaces.

20 October 2020

Branded residences are those affiliated with a well known brand, usually hoteliers such as Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons, but increasingly non-hotelier brands such as YOO, Baccarat, Missoni and Aston Martin. According to Savills research the branded residence sector has grown 170% over the last 10 years, achieving an average 31% premium over non-branded developments, however this varies substantially according to location.

24 September 2020

Galliard Homes are marketing a development located above the new Tottenham Court Road Crossrail entrance at Dean Street W1. The apartments are located in London's Soho, just off Oxford Street and feature private external spaces in the form of winter gardens, balconies and terraces.

24 September 2020

Property agents Savills expect an increase in the need for flexible office space, with flexible office space replacing excess retail space on high streets and shopping centres. This could lead to an increase in demand for office space close to homes in rural and suburban areas.

16 September 2020

Joseph Edmund developers have appointed RED Construction and architects Darling Associates to transform Audiology House to create 19 apartments. Audiology House is a Victorian Villa situated in a conservation area in Clapham, and was originally owned by the engineer George Jennings.

3 September 2020

Savills confirm that London applicants viewing property in London in June and July this year have been 37% higher than in January and February. However this rises to 97% for London applicants looking for property outside of the capital. Savills' applicants for prime rental property increase by 60% by the end of July compared with the 12 weeks prior to lockdown. The same research also shows the desire for extra space such as a garden, and also an increase in 'try before you buy' tenants.

1 September 2020

The Bank of England July 2020 Money and Credit report confirms that 66,300 mortgages for house purchases were approved in July, up from 39,900 in June. Approvals are still below the 73,700 reported in February 2020.

25 August 2020

Norman Foster's architecture practice Foster + Partners has proposed plans for a temporary reusable building to house Parliament while the Palace of Westminster undergoes major restoration. The glass and steel building is inspired by the Crystal Palace built in Hyde Park to house the 1851 Great Exhibition.

19 August 2020

The Land Registry has resumed publication of its House Price Index, with the April 2020 data showing prices falling in London by 1.6% for the period March to April 2020, however confirms an annual rise of 2.3% to April 2020. The Nationwide House Price Index showed annual growth for the UK of 1.5% in July 2020, and a monthly rise of 1.7%, reversing the previous month's fall.

7 August 2020

Keystone London and GLA Land and Property are to gain outline consent for the redevelopment of the West Silvertown area of the Royal Docks. The scheme masterplanned by Foster and Partners will be know as Thameside West and includes 5,000 homes, 19,000 sq m of workspace, 7,000 sq m of leisure and retail, a new riverside park and a new DLR station.

6 August 2020

The UK government announced its plans to overhaul the planning system, categorising land for growth, renewal or protection. The aim is to protect green spaces and speed up the delivery of new homes on brownfield sites. Good design is to be prioritised with a fast-track for 'beautiful buildings'. Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy will be replaced with a levy based on the value of the development. The government also announced the First Homes scheme offering 30% discount to first-time buyers, key workers and local people. Update 6 August 2020: Comment by CBRE.

29 July 2020

Hackney Council have approved the demolition of an existing building and construction of a 6/7 storey building comprising of flexible working space and co-living accommodation at 305a Kingsland Road E8. The developers are Pause and the scheme was designed by PH+ Architects.