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PUBLISHED 24 SEPTEMBER 2011

Offices

A look at trends in the marketplace.

Mark Simmons, freelance writer, 07787 561032, msimmons@sourceform.co.uk

 

Industrial

Analysis of the market and forecasts

Simon Jack, freelance writer, 01225 444 780 simon@sdjack.freeserve.co.uk

 

Oxford

What's the outlook for the city centre's development market?

Helen Hamilton, freelance writer, 07758 833735, bluesomeh@gmail.com

 

Market health check

Covers offices, industrial and retail markets in all three counties. Please send any up to date stats to Stacey Meadwell, regional editor stacey.meadwell@estatesgazette.com

 Please contact writers with editorial information by Tuesday 30th August, 2011

New construction orders fell 20% in Cambridge in 2010 compared to the year before. That's a fifth wiped off some already pretty sick looking numbers.

Building data isn't something we usually analyse on the Focus blog but, at the moment, with construction all but halted in many regions it's providing a good early indicator of when things might properly start rolling again.

Bidwells has just published its first Building Trends report and it reckons that the outlook for the south east (stripping out London) is benign at best,  not helped by a 20-30% drop in property capital values in 2008.

For the east of England its says property is unlikely to rise rapidly in either the commercial or residential market for the next two to three years. There are a few exceptions (Oxford and Essex - click on read more below to see a breakdown by area) but Cambridge's science park market remains patchy and high property costs are inhibiting major new schemes. It says that colleges are foccusing on the volume and standard of student accommodation and ancillary projects such as kitchen refurbishements. When a report starts talking about putting in new cookers and fridges as the activity in the market is it time to worry?

Retail: Analysis of recent activity and future plans
Contact: Helen Hamilton, freelance writer, 07758 833 735 bluesomeh@gmail.com

Market in Numbers: Send up to date stats for offices, industrial and retail plus a soundbite (max 50 words) to Stacey.meadwell@estatesgazette.com


 

PUBLISHED 4th  September 2010

Development

What's in store for the property market across all three counties?

Simon Jack, freelance writer, 01225 444 780, simon@sdjack.freeserve.co.uk

 

Industrial

A look at key issues and trends

Simon Jack, freelance writer, 01225 444 780, simon@sdjack.freeserve.co.uk

 

Residential

An analysis of the local market including up to date stats

Graham Norwood, freelance writer, 01392 875415, graham.norwood@btinternet.com

 

Market in numbers

Figures and forecasts across all three counties covering offices, retail, industrial and investment

Please send up to date statistics and forecasts to Nadia Elghamry, deputy regional editor at nadia.elghamry@estatesgazette.com

Please contact writers by 10th August 2010

 

• Bedford

The town's Station Quarter comes under our microscope in this week's EG. The council is proposing a £130m regentation of the site but has yet to find a developer, or assemble large chunks of the site.

It's not the only large scale development trying to take flight in the town. Melanie Smith has also looked at the progress of St Modwen's Town Centre West. Last month the council extended its agreement with the developer presumably to give St Modwen some breathing room to get the 19-acre scheme going. Some are building such as Goodman and Unilever at the Colworth Science Park (pictured), although already has EEDA backing and two universities signed up. 

• Luton

Daniel Cunningham asks whether the long awaited renaissance of the town has ground to a halt. He analyses progress at Napier Park and Butterfields business park. 

• Industrial

Last year's take up is nearly half the 2008 level, and Daniel finds that when asked to name requirements agents draw a blank. That said, Canmoor which bought a portfolio of four indsutrial estates from SEGRO is looking to speculative develop. To find out why they think this is a good idea read this week's EG. 

 


Bedford Analysis of the regeneration proposals and what progress might be made in 2010
Contact: Melanie Smith, Focus editorial assistant, 020 7911 1916, melanie.smith@estatesgazette.com

Luton Analysis of the regeneration proposals and what progress might be made in 2010
Contact: Daniel Cunningham, senior writer, 020 7911 1822, daniel.cunningham@estatesgazette.com

Industrial Analysis of market conditions and prospects for the year
Contact: Daniel Cunningham, senior writer, 020 7911 1822, daniel.cunningham@estatesgazette.com

Focus makes its final stop at the home counties before heading further afield for a few weeks with tomorrows issue looking at Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Jamie Oliver's home county: Essex. And while the Naked Chef's home village of Clavering probably needs little regenerative attention there are other towns that do.

Daniel explores progress on some of the counties key regeneration projects examining the widening gap between ambition and achievement in these tough financial times. He also casts his eye over the general health of the property market and discovers that Hertfordshire is outdoing it's neighbours in office market lettings.

While Melanie turns her attention to the beleaguered housing market, discovering starkly contrasting strategies from the local authorities and with differing results.

Maybe Jamie Oliver could sprinkle some of his success gold dust a bit closer to home.

Picture by Really Short on Flickr and used under creative commons

We've just released our Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire & Essex synopsis. Scroll down and you'll see all the features we are writing for that Focus. If you've got any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for the editorial, or would just like to know more about what the journalists are writing about, then please give them a call or drop them an email - their details are below.

Regeneration
What's the outlook for key projects across the three counties?
Daniel Cunningham, senior features writer, 020 7911 1822 daniel.cunningham@rbi.co.uk

Market round up
Analysis of the offices, retail and industrial market.
Daniel Cunningham, senior features writer, 020 7911 1822 daniel.cunningham@rbi.co.uk

Residential
How are developers and local authorities dealing with challenges in the local housing sector?
Melanie Smith, editorial assistant, 020 911 1916
melanie.smith@rbi.co.uk