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MIPIM 2012: Sun sets on another show

By Stacey Meadwell on March 8, 2012 4:44 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
And there it is, ladies and gentlemen. Another MIPIM is drawing to a close. Final meetings are concluding and preparations for dinners and parties are underway.

The UK cities have been here in greater numbers this year shouting about enterprise zones and development proposals. I've learnt that there is still a lot of the nitty gritty to work through on the EZs before they will finally fly, if indeed they do prove to be more than government window dressing. Sheffield's LEP chair James Newman was still negotiating details with the Treasury a couple of days ago.

But it feels like there has been more to say this year and that concrete things are starting to happen. Derby council has put money into kick starting the first spec office scheme in the city for 20 years - off the back of a meeting it held down here in Cannes a handful of years ago.

Newport is close to announcing an anchor tenant for its Friars Walk retail scheme and planning is due to be submitted at the end of the month. Manchester has launched a search for development partners for a medi-park and Birmingham has shortlisted three developers for its Digital Plaza hub.

On the one hand there haven't been as many leggy models adorning the Russian and Eastern European stands but on the other it doesn't feel quite as austere as last year. There seems to have been more champagne on offer, there have been some really fancy canapes and treats around (no cuddly toys though as far as I can tell) and developers have had dinners in very nice restaurants.

It's not goodbye MIPIM but au revoir, I'm sure we'll all be back again next year.




#Mipim 2012: Day two in Cannes - cigars, Berocca and running off with 'that' mayor

By Nadia Elghamry on March 7, 2012 3:25 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
5462688395_7413178fe8.jpgDay two, and as is traditional for the Middle Mipim day it's all about business. Well kinda. We've trawled the Twittersphere to give you a real feel for what's happening at the show. 

Click on the continue reading link below to find out what was hot today, here's a taster: the cigars are back, the Berocca is out and someone has run off with that mayor.

Picture by Ron Dollete on Flickr

Continue reading #Mipim 2012: Day two in Cannes - cigars, Berocca and running off with 'that' mayor.


MIPIM 2012 VPS urban renewal seminar: 'Property industry needs to think outside its own domain'

By Stacey Meadwell on March 7, 2012 12:30 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

It's been a steep learning curve for VPS head of sales Gavin Pringle in his first few weeks in the job he's learnt how squatters aren't small disparate local groups but educated, organised and national.

GVA's John Jones Head of Property Management said the ingenuity of squatters is incredible and pessimistically thought that 24 hour security might be the only answer to what is an expensive problem for landlords.

But when it comes to vandalism, another costly issue for owners of empty properties, the Urban Land Institute's Joe Montgomery said you need to get to the problem early. Explaining, he said that government policy such as stripping young people of their education allowance has reduced opportunities for them. 

His argument was if you give young people opportunities, activity and direction they are less inclined to destructive behaviour. 

"The property industry need to think outside their own domain and look at which bit of social policy they want to have a voice in," he said. 

Mike Kiely, director of planning at Croydon Council highlighted the problem of vertical drinking in the evening after the shoppers and office workers have gone home and the trouble that it engenders in its town centre. He said the council was trying to bring in more homes to the town centre, including family housing, which he believes will "naturally phase out the problem."

Mixed tenure also seemed to be a common solution suggested by the round table guests, mixing up social rented, part buy and owner-occupiers in new developments and redevelopments of older estates in order to create a sense of community.

 

No Cannes Do? Shed shifters gather for #Mipim-sur-le-Thames

By Nadia Elghamry on March 7, 2012 10:34 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
untitled.bmpWho needs Cannes when we have the No-Cannes-Do. The first of the not-at-Mipim events kicked off yesterday with over 400 shed-shifters descending on London's Oxo Tower. 

For sure, many were feeling just a teensy bit smug. While those in the south of France weathered the drizzle, London was bathed in glorious spring sunshine.  And in true Cannes style the drink started flowing at 11am as the sector's key players mingled. 

What started off as the budget alternative to Mipim has blossomed. Now in its third year one of the sponsors Dowley Turner Real Estate, says that it was the best turn out ever. 

There was even an after party at Jacks Lounge , where the truly hardy carried on the celebrations. Presumably there'll be a lot of Berocca doing the rounds this morning.

Picture courtesy of Victoria Gibbs

MIPIM 2012: Battle of EZ's commences

By Stacey Meadwell on March 6, 2012 4:33 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
It's half past five in the London Pavilion and it's rammed. The tuesday afternoon arrivers have descended in their masses and an already buzzing MIPIM feels like it is off and running at full pelt (cold and grey weather must be playing a part in encouraging people indoors too).

This year the UK cities are out in force and with Enterprise Zones to promote and development money to find, the competition to shout loudest is hotting up. Sheffield and Leeds have already scheduled events that overlap later in the week and Birmingham and Manchester have both got crammed schedules of events on their respective stands. 

I haven't visited the Manchester stand yet but certainly Birmingham gets points for its snacks on offer: glass bowls full of Cadbury's chocolate.

Brum city council's Mark Barrow was well prepared to brief me about progress on the city's Enterprise Zone, despite having only just registered. I was treated to a sneak peek of his presentation which he had on his iPad - definitely the device of choice this year.

The Edinburgh stand, as usual, is tempting visitors with regular whisky tastings and also rather tasty rum and raisin tablet (fudge for those from south of the border). Another duo fresh from registration were Montagu Evans' Hugh Rutherford and Edinburgh city council's Dave Anderson both of whom were full of enthusiasm with the former saying he was confident about the market this year due to pent up office demand.

Meanwhile back in the London Pavilion, the battle is more about models - not the leggy type but the development type. There are at least four including the huge and very impressive central London model which gives a interesting glimpse of what the capital could look like with several proposed towers. The Nine Elms follows on a close second with some impressive towers of its own and a faithful reconstruction of Battersea Power Station - wonder if that will make it into the future?

You can see pics from the London Pavilion and all the other days delights by clicking on the slide show below.


Other MIPIM posts you might like:


#MIPIM 2012: Day one in Cannes - best stands, a Big Mac dispensing machine and the toilets

By Nadia Elghamry on March 6, 2012 3:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The best stands, the cycle 2 Cannes cyclists arrive, a Big Mac dispensing machine and the state of the toilets. Here's what the Twittersphere had to say about property's biggest jamboree. 

Click on the continue reading link below to find out what happened on day one at Mipim 2012

Continue reading #MIPIM 2012: Day one in Cannes - best stands, a Big Mac dispensing machine and the toilets.


Mipim: Croydon a new office hot spot. Pipe dream or possibility?

By Nadia Elghamry on March 6, 2012 11:52 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
hot spot.jpg
Croydon will become the new office hot-spot (£).  OK, so Croydon's own marketing department did dream up that headline and Develop Croydon is down at Mipim today banging their offices drum. 

It reckons that rents of £22 per sq ft will be enough of a lure to send occupiers from the West End flocking to the south London borough.

There's little reason why Croydon couldn't become an office overflow hot spot - except that if it really was that easy to entice occupiers with a few pounds and pence shaved off the rents, wouldn't they have already gone there by now? Yes, Grade A stock has been thin on the ground but there were plenty of opportunities for occupiers to get involved and no end of shiny schemes being mooted. 

Agents constantly say that occupiers don't care - to a point - what the price of property is, it's not their biggest cost, people are. The biggest problems occupiers talk about now is getting talent in through their doors, and keeping it and having a central London address is one of the best ways to do that. Don't believe me, well just look at Nokia and O2 Telefonica who moved back from the M4 corridor into central London.


Continue reading Mipim: Croydon a new office hot spot. Pipe dream or possibility? .


Mipim Pics: Day One, the EG team eventually arrives in Cannes

By Nadia Elghamry on March 6, 2012 8:30 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

It was a late one last night but team EG finally pulled into Cannes at 10:15. This morning the sun is out at Le Mee-peem and last minute preparations are underway at the Palais. 

The team is already out and about and so far this morning editor Damian Wild has spotted the show's first double height pavillion - from Quatar (of course).

Click on the slideshow above to see a selection of pics from Cannes this morning. 

We'll have digital daily editions, live web seminars and breaking news throughout the day, and you can follow the team on our Mipim 2012 blog. Our first live web seminar kicks off at 12:00 GMT looks at A Growth Plan for London.

Mipim: Snow, rain and fire mark the start of Mipim week

By Nadia Elghamry on March 5, 2012 2:47 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
19722949.jpgWell never imagined we'd be posting a picture of snow to mark the start of Mipim. This is northern France, taken by our own Stacey Meadwell from the Eurostar window.

It's been an eventful start to proceedings for the Estates Gazette team,  with the Mipim express heavily delayed by a fire on the line near Paris. As I type, 300 Mipim-ites are making the mad dash across the French capital to Gare Lyon to try and catch the last TGV down. 

Still, at least with blazing sunshine in London, all of us that stayed behind can feel smug. For now.

Not at #MIPIM? Have a drink anyway...

By Daniel Cunningham on March 11, 2011 10:36 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

As has become a civilised tradition each year, those left behind while their colleagues enjoy a spot of sun on the French Riviera have been making the most of it, and a number of not-at-MIPIM parties (most involving a pun on the word 'Cannes' in the title) have been going on throughout the week.

And there'll be plenty more today. And why not? It might be a bit on the cold side here in Blighty, but the sun's just about still shining at least.

Here's a round-up of just some of what's been going on:

On Tuesday, around 450 shed-shifters took to the terrace of the Oxo Tower on London's South Bank for the second year running for a 'No Cannes Do' bash hosted by among others Gazeley and Canmoor. My colleague Nick Whitten was among those attended and assures me that a fair few drinks were had by all. There are some photos above (click on them to be taken to our Focus Flickr page).

Bristol also got in on the act yesterday (see picture below) with a 'virtual MIPIM' event held by the Forum for the Built Environment at WestOne (Bristol's answer to La Croisette for the day). More than 100 turned up and King Sturge's Jeremy Richards took the opportunity to talk shop and explain that all but one of the five floors of the building are now under offer.

Bristolnotatmipim.jpg

Continue reading Not at #MIPIM? Have a drink anyway....


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