February 2010 Archives

It's all change again at 25 Churchill Place with another planning application being submitted by the Canary Wharf Group. Due to News International deciding to stay put in Wapping, Canary Wharf have again worked up a new design for this site with KPF.

The scheme features a 108 metre tall mid-rise tower, a reduction of 22 metres from the previous plans with the number of floors above ground level dropping from 24 to 19. It will contain 71,169 square metres of office space, a drop of almost 9,000 square metres.

Let's hope this compact glass-clad development will appeal to a potential occupier somewhere.

This week more than 250 people took part in a race to the top of the Gherkin to raise money for the NSPCC's Child's Voice Appeal. The 38-floor climb up 1,037 steps was certainly a challenge for most. But for those preferring not to break into a sweat there was another option... the Champagne Lift Pass. Basically, you take the lift and have a glass of bubbly whilst enjoying the spectacular views of London. And don't forget the entertainment of watching puffed-out, sweaty people staggering about!!

Judging by recent reports on London's standing as one of the world's leading cities for property investment, it would seem things are still looking up. PricewaterhouseCoopers has revealed London as the most popular location in Europe for investment in commercial property.

Foreign investors have been attracted by the weak pound and today's news that South Korea's National Pension Service is scouting for prime office property in the UK will only strengthen the sentiment that things are picking up. Jun Kwang-woo, chairman of South Korea's NPS, said UK property continued to be attractive and represented "a good buying opportunity".

The only worry is that the government will withdraw economic stimulus before the market has fully recovered. Let's hope the positive reports keep on coming!