Guildford's open spaces offered protection

More than 600 acres of open space will be protected if Guildford’s draft local plan is adopted. The borough council is hoping the latest draft will win public support so it can act as a framework for planning and development until 2033. The authority says it needs to address the needs for recreation, leisure, retail and tourism. Guildford borough covers 104 square miles and has a population of 140,000, an increase of almost a half since 1951. This is expected to rise to 162,000 by 2033. A

Heathrow appoints world's first airport cycle officer

Heathrow has appointed the world’s first airport cycle officer. Ali Jafarey is leading a one year cycle partnership between Heathrow and cycle and walking charity Sustrans. The partnership’s aim is to make the airport’s cycle routes safer, more accessible and train many of the 16,500 airport staff to feel more confident on their bikes. In the first year Sustrans and Heathrow will publish a cycle strategy aligned with the wider West London Cycling strategy. This will be drafted in conjunction

Go ahead for The Mall refurbishment at Camberley

A major refurbishment of The Mall at Camberley has been approved by councillors. Architects Chapman Taylor LLP is to install new contemporary finishes to the 400,000 sq ft shopping and leisure centre's interior. These will be fitted to walls surrounding the shopfronts and the proposals include new feature lighting, alterations to roof columns, new roof decoration and new flooring. In the agenda report officers, recommended approval and stated: "The applicant’s overall aim is to modernise the

Art, music and food plan for Broad Street Mall

Art exhibitions, markets, street food and music are under discussion for the future of the Broad Street Mall in Reading as it becomes a 'third generation' shopping centre. Asset managers Moorgarth revealed to members of Thames Valley Property’s First Tuesday Club on May 10, their thoughts on the 45-year-old centre’s future direction. The mall bosses were guests of event sponsor and Thames Valley Property supporter Hicks Baker. Moorgarth chief executive Tim Vaughan told guests at the

Green Park sale to Mapletree Investments confirmed

Green Park’s sale to Singapore-based Mapletree Investments has been confirmed. The investor says the 188-acre park’s acquisition from Oxford properties is in line with its strategy to seize new growth opportunities in developed markets such as the UK, which possess strong economic and property fundamentals, to broaden the group’s investment footprint. Hiew Yoon Khong, Mapletree’s group chief executive, said: “Mapletree’s acquisition of Green Park is aligned with our current five-year business

AbbVie House sale 'a benchmark for yields in the south east'

The sale of AbbVie House in Maidenhead has been celebrated as a benchmark for yields at out-of-town offices in the south east. Represented by Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), Aviva Investors has sold the 56,000 sq ft office building at Vanwall Park for £24.425m, to Rasmala plc, reflecting a net initial yield of 5.42 per cent. Charlie Lake, capital markets director for LSH said: "We secured extremely strong interest for the property, with proposals received predominantly from overseas investors,

Your chance to help the property professionals of the future

Property professionals can help the next generation find their way in the industry. Thames Valley Berkshire LEP has won funding to join the national roll-out of Enterprise Advisers programme, led by government’s Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC). The programme will help recruitment of more business volunteers to advise schools’ senior leadership teams to better equip young people (aged 12-18) with the skills needed to join the workforce. The programme is a key element to the LEP’s Berkshire

Silverstone Park cluster report to be published on May 27

Silverstone Park developer MEPC is to publish its cluster report on May 27 which it hopes will help attract Government support and investor interest to the region. Economic and social development research specialist SQW teamed up with MEPC to produce the document and a special event was held to thank the varied hi-tech and engineering businesses on the park which contributed. Porsche GB’s Experience Centre which sits on the 130 acres of land MEPC is developing around the Silverstone Formula 1

Heathrow Business Breakfast is next Monday

A special Business Breakfast next week offers the chance to hear from Heathrow's boss about why he feels the airport's expansion is essential for both nearby businesses and the whole country. The Heathrow Business Breakfast is the first chance, since his letter to the Prime Minister last week, to hear chief executive John Holland-Kaye preview why it matters for businesses that Heathrow is the right choice for airport expansion. An invitation to businesses states: "This year marks Heathrow’s

New Crossrail images released

New images have been released which show how some of the Crossrail stations will look. Our image shows Crossrail at Paddington while Network Rail has said there will be little noticeable change at Reading. The images of the new show some of the common features passengers will see at platform level, as well as the bespoke design of the ticket halls and surface areas which will reflect the character of their local areas. The new stations, all of which will be step-free from train to street,