07/27/2017

While the image of the Thames Valley’s office market is one of resilience, the differences between its main towns will influence the way occupiers and investors make decisions. Andy Jansons, managing director of Jansons Property, gives a snapshot of the main centres. Reading Reading’s rallying cry in recent years has been its relative value compared to London. But quoting rents in some of the prime new town centre office locations are almost reaching £40 per sq ft which, in my view, leaves too

04/19/2017

Developer John Fisher says the requirement for affordable homes on small developments could threaten the viability - and therefore deliverability - of those schemes. Mr Fisher, managing director of Thames Valley housebuilder T A Fisher, says small developers seeking to maintain a high threshold of quality could find it difficult to incorporate both affordable houses and developer infrastructure contributions on smaller projects. Government changes to national planning policy have sought to

04/06/2017

Rebecca Thomas, Partner - Professional Support at law firm BrookStreet des Roches, explains recent clarification on whether business rates are due while a building is under refurbishment. The question of whether business rates are payable while a property is being redeveloped has been determined by the Supreme Court in a decision which will be welcomed by owners and developers. Overturning the Court of Appeal decision in Newbigin (Valuation Officer) v SJ & J Monk, it was held that where a

03/29/2017

Following a recent judgement, a rent concession on a property could now be in very different legal territory. Martin Billings and Rosie Gibb, partners in the Real Estate department at BrookStreet des Roches, explain the full implications. It is not unusual for a rent concession to be documented in a side letter, keeping the arrangement both confidential and personal to the tenant. It is also common for a side letter to contain provisions which allow the arrangement to be terminated if the

03/08/2017

Vail Williams partner Stephen Hill explains some of the effects so far of the controversial rates revaluation. The Valuation Office Agency has now finalised its revaluation of rateable values. The resultant changes in rate liability will come into force on April 1, 2017 and the new assessments will be used to calculate rate charges for at least the next five years. The arrival of rate demands over the next few days showing these new assessments will be in a number of instances a surprise

08/01/2017

We are taking a break for the first week in August 2017. But we'll be back on Tuesday, August 8, ready to deliver more property news from the Thames Valley. We look forward to resuming normal service then.

07/31/2017

Transport planners at SYSTRA’s Thames Valley office, based in Reading, were not surprised by the Government’s decision to ban sales of petrol and diesel cars from 2040. They’ve long been planning the brave new world of electric vehicles. Alan Bunce spoke to Jonathan Williams, transport consultant, based at SYSTRA’s office at Soane Point, who recently addressed over 100 delegates to the Transport Practitioners’ Meeting in Nottingham on the way forward. Developers will be key to making electric

07/31/2017

The £2.3m Government grant towards Green Park station, which will connect with trains to central London, will benefit its tenants, residents, Reading Gateway, Madejski Stadium and Royal Elm Park. In the swish of a pen, South Reading will begin to see how investment in transport can create new communities and encourage positive development to a sub-region. Canary Wharf, before the opening of the Jubilee Line, experienced painful under achievement and financial strains. However upon opening of