The boss of this FTSE 250-listed housebuilder just made one of the largest ever charitable donations by a UK businessman February 17, 2017 Steve Morgan, the boss of FTSE 250-listed housebuilder Redrow, has donated £200m to charity – thought to be one of the largest donations ever made by a UK business person. A regulatory filing showed Morgan has donated 42m of shares in the housebuilder to his family's charitable foundation, The Morgan Foundation, which he founded in 2001 to [...]
First time buyers, close your eyes – in 1996, you could buy a house in Hackney for £75,000 February 17, 2017 House prices in the London borough of Hackney have rocketed 700 per cent in the last 20 years. It may seem hard to believe now, but in 1996 the average house price in Hackney was just £75,569. Now, the average price is £606,269 – a jump of 702 per cent. Read more: This tiny house [...]
Business groups have joined forces to fight the government’s business rates plans February 16, 2017 Thirteen business groups and industry associations including the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce and British Retail Consortium have formed a united front to fight the government's proposed changes to business rates. Commercial property taxes have been re-evaluated for the first time in seven years and are set to soar for many firms [...]
This tiny house in Chelsea has gone on sale at £600,000 February 16, 2017 If you're a fan of Miss Honey and her doll's house-style home in Roald Dahl's Matilda, this might resonate with you: a tiny house in Chelsea, dubbed one of London's smallest houses, has been put up for sale – with a price tag of £600,000. Described as a "proper Chelsea gem" by estate agent Douglas & [...]
Westminster becomes first council to request higher retention of business rates for £409m investment programme February 15, 2017 Westminster council has become the first in the UK to urge the government to allow it to keep a higher proportion of its commercial property taxes. A conglomerate representing the West End has put in the application on behalf of the Westminster council and others, City A.M. can reveal. The West End Partnership (WEP), which represents [...]
London boroughs ranked in order of house price growth (if you live in Hammersmith, look away now) February 14, 2017 Official data published this morning suggested UK house price growth has got its mojo back – but things are looking less encouraging in London, where growth fell to a weak (relatively speaking) 7.5 per cent in December. But analysis of the data by online estate agent Emoov suggests the story is not the same across the whole of [...]
It looks like UK house price growth is getting its mojo back February 14, 2017 Are house prices bouncing back from their Brexit blip? UK house price growth ticked up to 7.2 per cent in December, official figures showed today – the highest annual growth rate since August last year. The Office for National Statistics' (ONS) UK house price index showed the average price rose to just under £220,000 in [...]
This is how far house prices have shot up in the Trafalgar Square conservation area February 13, 2017 Trafalgar Square house prices have jumped in recent years as the tourist hot spot has become a hub of luxury residential development. Sale prices for houses in the Trafalgar Square conservation area have shot up by 33 per cent over the last three years, according to research by Beauchamp Estates. This means the area's house [...]
Rise of Technology, Media and Telecommunications sectors fuelling demand for high-quality office space February 13, 2017 | City Talk Fuelled by record demand for high-quality office space, a thriving visitor economy, international student appeal and an attractive quality of life, it’s no wonder Edinburgh attracts developer interest from around the globe. Edinburgh’s commercial property market remained buoyant in 2016. That strong performance followed an exceptional 2015, in which office deals were the highest on record [...]
Making housing more affordable is crucial if we’re to improve social mobility in London February 13, 2017 The City of London Corporation announced last week that it will sponsor the Social Mobility Employers’ Index, a new initiative from the Social Mobility Foundation and Social Mobility Commission which ranks Britain’s top businesses on how open they are to accessing talent from all backgrounds. We are backing the Index with £70,000 of funding as [...]