Recently in Glasgow Category

The best and the worst of the regional office markets in Q1

By Stacey Meadwell on May 16, 2012 3:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Knight Frank released its amusingly named ROMP report yesterday (that's Regional Office Market Presentation - just don't google ROMP on its own on your office computer - well maybe a colleagues) in which it compares and contrasts the market performance in 11 regional cities around the UK. 

One of the most interesting graphs within the report shows Q1 2012 take up vs the average quarterly take up for 2011 ie how well has each city done this year so far? Now you have to look at the figures in context but before we do that here is how the 11 cities rank in terms of take up in Q1 2012 vs its 2011 quarterly average:

  1. Leeds +50%
  2. Glasgow +32%
  3. Edinburgh +23%
  4. Manchester -5%
  5. Liverpool -11%
  6. Bristol -16%
  7. Sheffield -29%
  8. Cardiff -40%
  9. Aberdeen -165%
  10. Birmingham -209%
  11. Newcastle -376%
Now the context bit, Leeds had a good 2011 but it was its first year of increased take up since 2007 and the Q1 figure includes one particularly large deal of over 60,000 sq ft (Medical Protection Society's purchase of 2 & 3 Victoria Place). 

Glasgow and Edinburgh on the other hand, while having had storming starts to Q1 compared to everywhere else, actually didn't have great 2011 for office take up so they are coming from a lower base.

The flip side of that is Aberdeen which looks like it has had a terrible start to the year when in fact it had a phenomenal 2011 recording the highest average quarterly take up of all 11 cities and it still ranks the fifth highest take up for Q1 2012.

And then there is Newcastle, while there was a brief filip last year, office take up in the city actually peaked in 2004. Ouch.

Podcast: Leader of Edinburgh council talks waterfront regeneration in tough economic times

By Stacey Meadwell on November 3, 2011 7:22 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Yesterday was the first day of Scotland's Waterfront Expo in Glasgow. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee all got a chance to showcase their successes and talk about the challenges ahead to complete their visions.

Leader of Edinburgh City council Jenny Dawe and head of planning John Bury spoke about the new, flexible development plan for Edinburgh's waterfront as well as the importance of the TIF in keeping the project moving during the tough market conditions.

From Glasgow's perspective, Jim Fitzsimon's chief executive of Capella talked about the firms two sites in the Broomielaw area of the city and what needs to happen to bring them forward.

Click on the podcasts below to listen.

Councillor Jenny Dawe and John Bury:


Jim Fitzsimons, Capella:





Related posts from the Waterfront Expo:

Pics: Clyde boat tour at #waterfrontexpo

By Stacey Meadwell on November 3, 2011 6:21 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
What better way to see the successes and work still to be done on the waterfront in Glasgow than by taking a boat trip up the Clyde. Part of the Scotland Waterfront Expo, we headed west from the SECC to the Clyde college taking in the new Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum, Glasgow Harbour, Braehead Shopping Centre and Xscape.

(Extra pics taken from the Crowne Plaza).


#waterfrontexpo - Clyde Waterfront overview of success and what's to come

By Stacey Meadwell on November 2, 2011 2:58 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
*live blogging*

Jim Fitzsimons* chief executive of Capella

£1bn of investment and 1.5m sq ft of space already developed in the Broomielaw area [Glasgow] with 12,000 people now working there. Have 1.5 acre site with planning for over 200,000 sq ft space in Broomielaw area together with a couple of other schemes proposed including Goodman's plans for Central Quay (£) there is more than 1m sq ft of development planned.

As of yesterday we got permission for a leisure pavilion (£), totalling 30,000 sq ft, for restaurants and cafe bars on Broomielaw which will create a new feel to the area. Has the critical mass of workers now and hope to start on site in the New Year with completion anticipated in 2013.
 
Proposed Glasgow Fastlink goes right along the Broomielaw so that will be a great benefit.

Like to think that once we've developed our scheme the river there will become the postcard of Glasgow that people will send back home from the Commonwealth Games

Fraser Carlin, Head of planning, Renfrewshire Council
Like to think we as a local authority are in a more enlightened environment now, where we encourage development.

Highlights the success of bringing back into use 5.2 miles of waterfront, 1.5m sq ft of retail development (Braehead shopping centre).

Fastlink will get to Braehead in the future.
 
£500m invested by CSC and retailers in area and potential for a further £200m investment.

Personally hate Braehead but has great economic benefit.

David Hastings, Strathleven Regeneration Company
Lomondgate - regeneration in response to a closure of whiskey plant and result of public private sector partnership. It is where River City (Scottish TV series) is filmed among other BBC programmes. Chosen because of proximity to Glasgow and not under flight path.

In current climate it is easy to make excuses for things not happening but we have been determined not to let that happen. Secured Aggreko Manufacturing for a £20m manufacturing unit. They were initially worried about finding a site big enough so we were determined to make sure they could be accommodated and keep the jobs in the area.

Worked because of partnership and adopting a flexible approach. Key part of our learning is that a big part of regeneration is to stop degeneration. 

By April contributed £115m into economy and that was achieved without public money.

* Podcast in which Jim Fitzsimons talks in more detail about Capella's Glasgow development coming soon. Check back on the Focus blog.



#waterfrontexpo - Edinburgh Waterfront

By Stacey Meadwell on November 2, 2011 11:01 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
*live blogging*

Councillor Jenny Dawe, Leader of City of Edinburgh council (introduction)

Edinburgh Waterfront core regeneration is Leith and Granton 300ha developable land. 
Has emerged in last 20 years into an exciting new phase with resi and commercial development - Royal Yacht Britannia, Ocean Terminal, restaurants and bars.

There are huge commercial and resi development opportunities with a value of £1bn - making it one of the biggest waterfront developments in the world

Want to encourage new industry to strengthen and diversify the cities economy building on businesses we already have.

Have to work with partners achieve our aims.


Charles Hammond CEO Forth Ports

Edinburgh population reach of 1.2m
Conde Nast's favourite UK city
Strongest economy outside London
50% of population employed in high knowledge jobs
20% lower operating costs

Edinburgh has a number of opportunities in the city centre as well as the waterfront. City centre is focus for commercial activity as well as residential. West Edinburgh opportunity to create an international business quarter around the airport. South Edinburgh - bio industry focus.

Waterfront - major area of change.

Development hasn't stopped but has slowed down because of funding and infrastructure constraints that need unlocking. 

Opportunities are emerging - National Renewables Infrastructure Plan highlights opportunity for renewable business at the dockside.

We've put in place an area development plan (new planning framework) working with stakeholders to draw it up. Based around three communities of Leith, Granton and Newhaven.

We still have private sector developers looking at how can take their developments forward. 

Want to create a maritime gateway at the port. Edinburgh put forward a proposal for a TIF product to invest in infrastructure. Have agreement in principle from the Scottish Government to unlock that money.

Q&A

Q Who is guarantor in Scotland for TIF?
Charles Hammond Money is effectively a draw down facility and each proposal has a business case. In short term there is a gap between the money invested and that raised by potential rates up lift. Understand that risk stands with the local authority who borrowed the money

Q Call for current masterplans waterfront Edinburgh be thrown out. Nothing seems to have been learnt from what done windswept and desolute development

Jenny Dawe Yes Malcolm Fraser one of our top architects did say that. Has been an issue about devl of waterfront, several years back the plan were taken forward that block of flats for young professional was what was needed. Flats with very nice views but no kitchens and no famility facilities so have taken a view. New owners of Forth Ports has some new views so may be forced to look at the plans again.

John Bury head of planning Edinburgh council - I've been involved with Forth Ports for over 20 yrs so have seen te problems mistakes have been made but have been some achievements to be proud of. I wouldn't quite say was derelict and windswept. We put our own money into Ocean Terminal and that is an important facility. 

Western Harbour represents a very early masterplan so would have a point there. Have to look at it over a 30-40 year period. We see the third phase will be industrially led development will eventually lead back to mixed use development. 

Charles Hammond - yes easy to see development as in a sea of dereliction but that is regeneration. Malcolm Fraser had an imput into the new plan.






#waterfrontexpo Archie Graham, Glasgow city council on Commonwealth Games

By Stacey Meadwell on November 2, 2011 9:56 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
*live blogging - typos may creep in*

Councillor Archie Graham showcased the what is happening around the city ahead of it hosting the Commonwealth Games:

Commonwealth Games July 2014 will watched by 1.5bn people on TV, with 500 TV cameras providing the coverage so we better be scrubbed up

8 of football matches in 2012 Olympics will also be played here.

In most cases venues will be available for public uses before the event which is extremely unusual. 

Venues under construction include:

National Indoor Arena space for up to 5,000 spectators and communities facilities completion expected in 2012

Athletes village - new resi quarter 6,000 athletes and official homes. 1,500 sellable homes as well as affordable and rented accommodation.
Work underway. Homes will be retrofitted after the games

Scotstoun Leisure Centre - new squash courts 

Cathkins Braes Mountain Bike circuit

Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls - improvement of facilities for communities as well as for the games.

Scottish Hydro Arena due for completion in 2013 will have community facilities and 154 jobs committed to local community - has already secured world artistic gymnastics championships in 2015 as well as the MOBO awards.

Preparations are going well and important that is happens alongside the waterfront development.

Want to make Glasgow more prosperous, greener, accessible and inclusive. 

Riverside Museum on Clyde brilliant landmark since opening in June has received 600,000 visitors.

Clyde fastlink - last month Scottish Government announced £40m funding towards it. Key infrastructure will be in place in time for the games but fully completed by 2015. Will have ongoing economic benefits for the city.
 


#waterfrontexpo Opening address: Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow city council

By Stacey Meadwell on November 2, 2011 9:27 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
*Live blogging - so excuse any typos*

It's a fine day outside in Glasgow but before we head out on the tours we need to hear a bit more about Scotland's waterfront development plans and their progress.

Councillor Gordon Matheson kicks off proceedings

Starts with fighting talk: Carpet in my office is red so it doesn't stain when they are dragging out the bodies...

Three cities of Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow have recognised for some time the benefit of the waterfront for economic success. All cities are working together you'd be surprised how close we work together - of course there is banter.

Edinburgh and Glasgow combined are the second largest economy in the UK. We are international cities too.

Just a bit less than 1,000 days to go before commonwealth games.

Modern day Clyde waterfront is a far cry from the not to distance past when it traded with the world, heavy ship building etc. But the world doesn't stand still and we need to respond. 
 
Clyde waterfront project stretches 13 miles and covers 3 sister council areas, Clyde Waterfront strategic partnership also comprises Scottish Enterprise and £3.5bn invested since it was launched creating many jobs homes and development.

BBC Scotland HQ has helped to establish Glasgow as one of UK most creative hub. SECC has played crucial role in boosting cities status on the conference stage. More international conference delegate - 25,000 - places it up 22 places to 29 in world conference rankings and ranks it second only to London. 

Scottish Indoor Arena first major event in 2013 will be MOBO awards.

IFSD has attracted over 15,000 jobs in last 15 years.  Last night planning was granted for a new leisure pavilion at Broomielaw to help create a more vibrant area.

Difficult economic times and we have challenging times ahead.

UK town centre winners and losers over last 13 years

By Stacey Meadwell on October 28, 2011 11:52 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
meat.jpgIt's a meaty 100 page report but the National Survey of Local Shopping Centre's and CBRE's new research on changes to shopping catchment populations for comparison goods may cause some indigestion. That is, if you are a developer, agent or local authority that has ever sat back and said: 'Of course that new shopping centre development can only benefit the wider area.'

Planners take note: those benefits always come at a cost. The research, which surveyed actual shopping habits over a period from 1998 to 2009, shows that even though the population of the country has grown overall (it hasn't been consistent across all parts of the UK) the major city centres lost between 0.25% and 3.51% of their comparison spend catchment population.

Glasgow is a good example or bad if you look at it that way. The city centre's catchment population growth was weak compared to other parts of the UK but was weakened further as shoppers chose to go out of town to new shopping centres: Braehead and Silverburn. 

The extension to the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre, which is by no means a certainty, would help mitigate that loss. However, I can't help thinking back to conversations with Glasgow city council's planners when they'd just given planning permission for Silverburn in which they insisted Glasgow city centre was strong enough to withstand further out of town development. Well they were right but only if you class keeping head above water as wholly positive. 

The key drivers for change in catchment shopper population are new retail, changes in transport/access and underlying population change. Mapping the trends in catchment growth post the opening of a new scheme shows that growth continues for several years after opening. 

It means that city centres like Liverpool, where Liverpool One opened in 2008, has yet to reap the benefit of a fully increased catchment. Likewise Bristol city centre and Cabot Circus. There is, however, a threshold. Once a town centre has a full range of retail on offer and there is no further new development, growth in shopper numbers reaches a plateau.

Continue reading UK town centre winners and losers over last 13 years.


Pics: GVA building takes a starring role in Hollywood film

By Stacey Meadwell on October 21, 2011 2:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Office building 243 St Vincent St, Glasgow took a starring role in Hollywood film Cloud Atlas a few weeks back. GVA is marketing the building and staff were on hand to capture actress Halle Berry - one of the stars of the movie based on the novel by David Mitchell - in action (see slide show).

They didn't film inside the building but it was used as backdrop, dressing it up with some signage and removing graffiti to replace it with 1973 San Francisco graffiti, which is the period and location for this particular segment of the film. 

The building's car park was used for catering and props storage while Douglas Street to the side doubled for one of the famously steep San Francisco streets and was used for a car chase and crash. 

Filming took four days during which time GVA staff got to see starlet Berry perform an action sequence in which she rolls over a car bonnet. Apparently on the first attempt she missed the safety mattresses laid out on the other side of the car but was unhurt.

Where are the UK's regional cities in Cushman's European rankings?

By Nadia Elghamry on October 12, 2011 9:05 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Cushman and Wakefield issued its European cities monitor today, the report that names the top cities in Europe by asking over 500 companies what they think.

Glaringly obvious is the lack of UK regional cities in the top ten. While Germany has three (Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt) and Spain has two (Madrid and Barcelona) London is the only UK city to make the grade. OK, so London is number one but what's happened to Birmingham and Manchester or the Welsh and Scottish capitals?

You have to track down to 16th place before Manchester appears (down 4 places on the previous year), Birmingham pops up at 18th with Leeds (28th), Glasgow (30th) and Edinburgh (31st).When the same research was done back in 1990 Manchester was at 13th place and Glasgow was at 10th, two decades of development and boom economics (although more recently bust) have actually hurt the city.

Travel to any regional city and the inward investment agencies, developers and local agents will be at pains to emphasise their cities competitiveness because of their cheap offices and abundant staff, their connectivity to the rest of the UK and Europe, their world class reputation. And yet, our regional cities continue to fail to make the grade in rankings like this which track occupiers opinion of just these things.

Cushman's also asked companies about their expansion plans, looking at how many companies were looking to set up offices in the next five years and where. The UK's results are below and speak for themselves. Click on the image to see a larger version of the map.

Thumbnail image for EDITED Cushman Wakefield's European Cities Monitor 2011 report_Page_18.jpg

Continue reading Where are the UK's regional cities in Cushman's European rankings? .


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