The City of London Corporation has released updated images of how the City will look in the mid 2020s. The images include projects approved in the past 12 months notably 50 Fenchurch Street, 55 Gracechurch Street, 60 Aldgate High Street, 70 Gracechurch Street and 2-3 Finsbury Avenue. Key proposals in the City Plan 2036 include more animated ground floor spaces with pedestrian spaces through tall buildings and urban greening. Photo Didier Madoc.
Green
Housing Secretary announces plans to enable the delivery of 300,000 new homes by mid 2020s
The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced measures to allow cities and their high streets to recover from the damage caused by the pandemic. The measures will enable the council to support the delivery of 300,000 homes, encouraging family homes while prioritising brownfield sites and urban areas.
The Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime release 4 former police stations for sale
16 November 2020
The Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MOPC) have released former Police Stations in Tooting SW17, Greenford UB6, Clapham SW12 and Caberwell SE5. The sites are to be sold by informal tender, with a bid deadline of 12 noon, 4 December 2020. Details are available via the Mayor of London’s Small Sites website.
LSH report highlights opportunities in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc
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.
City of London Corporation’s recommendations for London to retain its long term competitiveness
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.
Thames Barrier Park wins Green Flag award
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.
Savills November 2020 property auction
3 NOVEMBER 2020
The Savills online November 2020 auction features a commercial building in Greenwich SE10 with views of the Thames and planning recommended for 5 flats and commercial space (guide £1.45m), an unmodernised mews house in Marlebone W1 (guide £995,000), a four storey end of terrace building in Tuffnell Park N7 (guide £1.7m), a site in East Ham E6 with a pre-application for 26 flats (guide £1.5m), land in Edmonton N9 with planning for 9 assisted living flats (guide £575,000), basement space in Muswell Hill with planning for a 3 bedroom flat, (guide £350,000) and garages at Palmers Green with planning for a two bedroom house (guide £160,000).
Allsop’s October 2020 online auction to include a number of development sites in London’s suburbs
29 OCTOBER 2020
The Allsop October 2020 online residential auction includes numerous development opportunities in London’s suburbs. The auction features a site in New Southgate, a site in Uxbridge with planning for two houses, a freehold detached bungalow in Golders Green with development potential, a freehold office building in Cricklewood with planning for a change of use to provide six apartments, a development site in E15 with planning for 4 apartments and a development site in N13 with planning for 3 houses.
Foster + Partners propose Great Exhibition style temporary reusable Parliament building
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.
Planning approval for the creation of a new 5 million sq ft neighbourhood in West Silvertown E16
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.
Government to overhaul planning system protecting green spaces and allowing more building on brownfield sites
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.
Bank of England instructs sale of historic sports ground in SW15
Priory Lane SW15 5JQ
The Bank of England has instructed Gerald Eve to bring to market a 28 acre site comprising leisure facilities and The Grange, the Bank’s former records office. The site is located within a short walk of Richmond Park and Barnes Common. Offers are invited for the long leasehold of the whole or part of the site. UNAVAILABLE
The number of tall buildings in London increased by 140% in 2019
A record 60 tall buildings were built in London in 2019, that is up 140% on the 2018 figure, according to the Annual Tall Buildings Survey published by New London Architecture and Knight Frank. 88% of the completed buildings are residential. Furthermore there are 525 buildings in pre-planning, planning and construction.
Barratt Developments furloughs 85% of its workforce in response to COVID 19
In response to COVID-19 Barratt Developments, Britain’s largest house builder, temporary closes all sales centres and construction sites and suspends all house buying activity. Furthermore 85% of their staff are to be furloughed on full pay. Activities are to recommence when it is appropriate to do so.
Monetary Policy Committee cuts interest rates to record low of 0.1%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee cut interest rates to a record low of 0.1% at a special meeting on the 19th of March. The aim of the cut is to help UK businesses and households cope with the economic disruption expected as a result of the measures necessary to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Bank of England reduces Bank Rate from 0.75% to 0.25%
10 March 2020
The Bank of England reduced the Bank Rate from 0.75% to 0.25% and launched a Term Funding Scheme to assist households and businesses to cope with the disruption associated with Covid-19.
Market with outlets committed to sustainable practices opens in Camden
Buck Street Market in Camden, designed by architects Eric Reynolds, is made from 88 recycled shipping containers and will house 80 retail outlets over 26,000 sq ft. The food and retail brands will all be committed to sustainable practices and processes.
Strutt & Parker identify ideas, including Blockchain and AI that will shape the future of home ownership
October 2018
The Housing Futures survey carried out by Strutt & Parker identify 8 ideas that will shape the future of home ownership. The ideas include using blockchain to record transactions, driverless cars affecting the importance of public transport, peer to peer lending and crowdfunding to fund development and investment, on-site energy sources, and AI and machine learning to create intelligent homes. Strutt & Parker
Planning for Four Houses in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
Adjacent 16 John Penn Street SE13 7QT
This development site, situated 550m from Deptford Bridge DLR station in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, comprises 34 garages and extends to 0.28 acres (0,11 hectares). Planning has been granted for the creation of four new build houses with a combined area of 6,189 sq ft (575 sq m). Price on application. Savills | UNAVAILABLE
Go ahead for £314 million Regeneration of the Royal Docks in East London
London’s only Enterprise Zone, the Royal Docks in East London, has been given the green light for a £314 million regeneration. Detailed plans for the 112 hectare Royal Docks Enterprise Zone were signed off by the London Economic Area Partnership. The planned investment will be carried out over the next 5 years. Mayor of London
Three major residential developments start the construction in Old Oak Common
18 June 2018
Old Oak Common in West London is the only place in the UK where HS2 and Crossrail meet. The recent approval of three major private residential schemes will kickstart development in the £26 billion opportunity area. The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) aim to create 25,500 new homes and 65,000 new jobs. Mayor of London
Strettons May 2018 Auction
Strettons May 2018 Auction includes a Development Opportunity with Planning for 9 Flats in London E11
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DA
Tuesday 22nd May 2018
The Strettons May 2018 auction includes a freehold development opportunity, with planning permission for 9 flats, at 483-487 Grove Green Road, Leytonstone E11 4AA, with a guide of £1.375-£1.4m. Strettons
Savills May 2018 Auction
Savills May 2018 Auction includes a 100m2 Site in Kings Cross WC1X
The Sheraton Grand Hotel, Piccadilly, London, W1J 7BX
9 May 2018
Sites include land at 38 & 38a Granville Square, Kings Cross WC1X 9PD. Guide £800,000+. Savills
Auction House London May Auction
Site with Planning for a Detached House in Muswell Hill at Auction House London’s May Auction
London Marriot Hotel, 128 King Henrys Rd NW3 3ST
28 May 2018
Sites include land with planning for a detached house at 61 Farrer Road, Muswell Hill N8 8LD guided at £150,000+. Auction House London
Stamp Duty Cut Saves First Time Buyers in London £4,300
Stamp Duty Cut Saves First Time Buyers in London £4,300
27 April 2018
The government scrapped stamp duty for first time buyers for homes valued up to £300,000 and reduced the amount payable for houses valued between £300,000 and £500,000. As a result the average first time buyer in London saved £4,300. HMRC
Living Rooms in the UK are almost a Third Smaller than they were in the 1930s
Using data from Rightmove and Zoopla, LABC Warranty have analysed data of 10,000 homes from the 1930s to the present. The results show that average size of homes peaked in 1970 at 58m2 and are now 46m2. There is a more substantial drop in the size of living rooms, which were on average almost 25m2 in 1970 and are now on average 17m2. LABC Warranty
Andrews & Robertson April 2018 Auction
Andrews & Robertson April 2018 Auction includes Land with Planning in Balham
The Montcalm Hotel, 34-40 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7TW
Thursday 19 April 2018
The Andrews and Robertson February 2018 auction includes land with planning for a detached house to the west of 23 Boundaries Road, Balham, London SW12 8ET, guide £330,000+. Andrews & Robertson
Strettons March 2018 Auction
Strettons Auction includes a Freehold House with Potential for Conversion in Dartmouth Park NW5
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DA
Tuesday 27th March 2018
The Strettons February auction has sites including a freehold house in Dartmouth Park NW5 with a guide of £1.8m+, and various houses and buildings for modernisation in Fulham SW6, Edgware HA8 and Shadwell E1. Strettons
First Phase of Westfield Expansion to Open in March as Part of the £8 billion Regeneration of White City
The first phase of the 740,000 expansion of Westfield London is scheduled to open on 20 March 2018 with John Lewis opening its doors to their 230,000 sq ft store. The expansion forms part of the £8 billion regeneration of the White City Opportunity Area. Westfield London
Government Announces Overhaul to the National Planning Policy Framework to Increase the Supply of Homes
The government has announced a major overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework to encourage the construction of new homes. The overhaul aims to ensure that the right homes are built with increased responsibility for both local authorities and developers to ensure that homes are built. The housing secretary Sajid Javid is promoting the construction of homes above railways, based on claims that up to 250,000 homes could be built in this way in London alone. Gov.uk
MIPIM EXPO 2018
13-16 March 2018 at Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France
The 29th edition of MIPIM attracted 26,000 real estate, city and political leaders including 5,400 investors, from over 100 countries. CBRE confirmed that 2017 was a record year for real estate investment in Europe with volumes totalling €291 billion. MIPIM
London Mayor approves 21 Storey ‘off-site’ Building with 100% Affordable Housing
The Mayor of London has approved architects Metropolitan Workshop’s 21 storey building in Croydon which is to be constructed ‘off-site’ in factories and then placed on site. The developer Pocket Living has agreed to make all of the 153 homes affordable. Mayor of London
McHugh & Co February 2018 Auction
McHugh & Co February 2018 Auction includes Sites in Kensal Rise & Finchley
The Montcalm Hotel, 34-40 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7TW
Monday 26th February 2018
Sites include: Garage/workshop and land to the rear of 98 Chamberlayne Road Kensal Rise NW10 3JN, guide £240,000+; garage and land to the rear of 32-36 Oakfield Road Finchley, N3 2HT, guide £50,000+. Mc Hugh & Co
School Building in Golders Green NW11 on a 0.24 Acre Site with Development Potential
Elmcroft Crescent London NW11 9TB
Existing 5,100 sq ft single storey school building occupying an 0.24 acre site in Elmcroft Crescent, Golders Green NW11. The property benefits from D1 use and is situated close to Brent Cross underground station. Offers in excess of £2m for the Freehold. Kingsbury Consultants | UNAVAILABLE
Crossrail Regeneration to Create 180,000 New Homes by 2026
Crossrail Regeneration to Create 180,000 New Homes by 2026
30 January 2018
Research by the property consultancy GVA shows that 180,000 news homes will be created along the crossrail route by 2026, together with 4.4 million square feet of new commercial space by 2021. The research shows that the impact of the Elizabeth Line will be significantly greater than initially predicted. Crossrail
Andrews & Robertson February 2018 Auction
Andrews & Robertson February 2018 Auction includes Garages and Land in Wimbledon
The Montcalm Hotel, 34-40 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7TW
22 February 2018
The Andrews and Robertson February 2018 auction has sites including land and garages to the rear of 218 Morden Road, South Wimbledon SW19 3BY, guide £750,000+. Andrews & Robertson
UK Housing Stock Value
UK Housing Stock is Valued at £7.14 Trillion an Increase of 34% over Ten Years
19 January 2018
The total value of housing stock in the UK has risen by £1.82 trillion over the last 10 years, to £7.14 trillion. London accounts for a quarter of the total value, at £1.785 trillion, but only 12% of the homes. London and the South East account for 87% of the total housing value gain over the last 10 years, however house price growth last year was highest in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Barnet. Savills
Strettons February 2018 Auction
Strettons Auction with a Freehold Vacant Snooker Hall in Winchmore Hill N21
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DA
Thursday 8th February 2018
The Strettons February auction has sites including a vacant snooker hall with development potential in Winchmore Hill N21. Guide £300,000+. Strettons
Barnard Marcus January 2018 Auction
Barnard Marcus February 2018 Auction includes sites in Tottenham and Tooting
Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen St, London WC2B 5DA
5 February 2018
Sites include: Freehold site with planning for a 3 floor end of terrace house, Tottenham N17 0PJ, guide £165,000+; site rear of 1 Kenlor Road, Tooting, SW17 0DJ, guide £80,000+. Barnard Marcus Auctions
Vacant Former Public House in Greenwich with Development Potential
95 Thames Street Greenwich London SE10
Within a short walk of the historic center of Greenwich and adjacent to the New Capital Quay development, this redundant former public house extends to 3,702 sq ft. Offers in excess of £1.65m for the Freehold. Acorn | UNAVAILABLE
Site in Fortis Green with Planning for 4 Houses and 6 Apartments
109 Fortis Green London N2 9HR
A 0.2 acre (0.08 hectare) development site currently used as a carwash, with planning for 4 houses and 6 apartments. The site is situated close to East Finchley Underground station. Offers in excess of £3.75m for the Freehold. Savills | UNAVAILABLE
City of London Skyline in 2026 with 13 New Consented Schemes
The image above shows City of London’s skyline in 2026 following the construction of 13 new consented schemes. The buildings are to have off site consolidation for deliveries and six of the buildings are to have free public viewing galleries. As of September 2017 there were 1.37 million square meters of office space in construction which is up from 1.22m in March 2016. Photo GMJ/City of London Corporation. City of London
