11 Jun, 2018

‘Just do it’ was the resounding response from Thames Tap’s Voices of the Valley when we asked their thoughts on Heathrow expansion – and some had a little more to say. A mix of positivity and exasperation was evident when we asked our panel for their views on the long-awaited third runway which came a step closer when transport secretary Chris Grayling set out the Government’s final proposal for an Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) on June 5. A vote will take place in Parliament within

21 May, 2018

UK Property Forums researcher Andrew Gibson reports from the FT Future of Construction summit at One Great George Street in London on Wednesday, May 16. Technology has been at the forefront of discussion when looking beyond the horizon in any industry - and construction is no different. But is it all hot air? A recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute found the construction sector to be one of the least digitised global industries.  While there has been great progress in the development

14 May, 2018

Thames Tap spoke to two of the leading figures behind the multi-billion pound regeneration of Basingstoke; Cllr John Izett, former managing director of Rogers Chapman at the time it was sold to JLL, and Victor Nicholls, former deputy chief executive of Bracknell Forest Council. Both public and private investment is flowing into Basingstoke and the councillor overseeing the town’s regeneration has no doubts why. A combination of an 8,000-home Garden Town, the £300 million rebuilding of its main

10 May, 2018

Few people have a better understanding of the issues facing Oxfordshire than Bob Price. We spoke to the former leader of Oxford City Council about how both the city and the county should address the challenges in its dynamic future.  The May elections brought to an end 35 years on Oxford City Council for former leader Bob Price. Mr Price spent half his life on the authority during a period of development unlike anything the city has seen. Yet the growing pains caused by the explosion of

11 Jun, 2018

‘Just do it’ was the resounding response from Thames Tap’s Voices of the Valley when we asked their thoughts on Heathrow expansion – and some had a little more to say. A mix of positivity and exasperation was evident when we asked our panel for their views on the long-awaited third runway which came a step closer when transport secretary Chris Grayling set out the Government’s final proposal for an Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) on June 5. A vote will take place in Parliament within

21 May, 2018

UK Property Forums researcher Andrew Gibson reports from the FT Future of Construction summit at One Great George Street in London on Wednesday, May 16. Technology has been at the forefront of discussion when looking beyond the horizon in any industry - and construction is no different. But is it all hot air? A recent report by the McKinsey Global Institute found the construction sector to be one of the least digitised global industries.  While there has been great progress in the development

14 May, 2018

Thames Tap spoke to two of the leading figures behind the multi-billion pound regeneration of Basingstoke; Cllr John Izett, former managing director of Rogers Chapman at the time it was sold to JLL, and Victor Nicholls, former deputy chief executive of Bracknell Forest Council. Both public and private investment is flowing into Basingstoke and the councillor overseeing the town’s regeneration has no doubts why. A combination of an 8,000-home Garden Town, the £300 million rebuilding of its main

10 May, 2018

Few people have a better understanding of the issues facing Oxfordshire than Bob Price. We spoke to the former leader of Oxford City Council about how both the city and the county should address the challenges in its dynamic future.  The May elections brought to an end 35 years on Oxford City Council for former leader Bob Price. Mr Price spent half his life on the authority during a period of development unlike anything the city has seen. Yet the growing pains caused by the explosion of

01 May, 2018

The evolution of the Harwell Campus moves into a new stage this year as plans are drawn up to build 1,000 homes on the site. The 710-acre former RAF airfield, operated since 2014 by a partnership between Harwell Oxford Partners and U+I, plus two Government backed agencies, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UKRI STFC) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), has long been a global success story of leading-edge science and is already expanding commercially faster than anywhere in

30 Apr, 2018

Delegates at a special debate at the Oxfordshire Property Festival learned of the extraordinary growth of the University of Oxford in recent years and the knock on effects that have resulted. The College Bursars’ Round Table, chaired by Hugh Blaza, senior partner at BrookStreet des Roches, was a rare look at the finances and challenges facing the university and its colleges at a time of rapid growth. It was held under a form of Chatham House rules so some information is not attributed.

27 Apr, 2018

Five years on from the introduction of Permitted Development Rights (PDR), Andy Jansons, managing director of Jansons Property, weighs up the pros and cons it has brought to the industry. Although opinions vary on PDR, most would agree it is something of a double-edged sword. Its critics acknowledge its success in creating additional homes often in town centres where they support the retail, while many of its supporters accept there is a cost in lost employment sites and, subsequently,

27 Apr, 2018

Slough’s council leader believes the booming borough can become a city within the next five to 10 years. Cllr James Swindlehurst told Thames Tap city status would match the authority’s ambitions for massive future developments which are on a scale even bigger than those built in recent years. Thousands more homes, £40 million of new leisure and one of the most ambitious shopping centre developments of recent times, he suggests, will help Slough’s bid. Cllr Swindlehurst said: "We are serious

24 Apr, 2018

Vail Williams partner, Geoff Fallon, looks at the changing nature of the value employers place on their workforce. More than ever, people are a company’s most important asset. How they are treated will shape the future of the modern organisation. Today’s working world is evolving rapidly and, in a time of heightened expectancy, employers need to provide a productive, engaging and enjoyable workplace experience if they are to attract and retain the best talent. This is especially important on

28 Mar, 2018

Both the working day and the working environment are ever evolving concepts. Vail Williams partner David Thomas discusses where work is going. The working day has changed considerably in the last 30 years. From getting into your Ford Escort to travel to work for your 9-5 job, surrounded by rows of typing pools and telex machines in your naturally ventilated office, to travelling to work in cars that have more technology than the average computer had 20 years ago! Nowadays, our agile,

13 Mar, 2018

There are just days left before the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) start to come into effect. Vail Williams partner, David Castle, explains how this affects the interested parties in a property, from landlord to tenant - and even some of those less directly involved. If you haven’t already heard about MEES here's some information about what they are, what to do to prepare for them, and by when.   The new standards will directly affect tenants, landlords, investors and developers, as

07 Mar, 2018

Nigel Hewitson, planning partner at BrookStreet des Roches, weighs up whether prime minister Theresa May's comments about developers during her March 5 speech on the planning reforms were entirely justified. We are regularly told that, as a country, we are not building enough homes. There is widespread acceptance that, to meet demand, the UK needs to build about 300,000 new homes a year. Yet for years we have built, at best, half that number. The result is ever higher property prices which