07/27/2017

While the image of the Thames Valley’s office market is one of resilience, the differences between its main towns will influence the way occupiers and investors make decisions. Andy Jansons, managing director of Jansons Property, gives a snapshot of the main centres. Reading Reading’s rallying cry in recent years has been its relative value compared to London. But quoting rents in some of the prime new town centre office locations are almost reaching £40 per sq ft which, in my view, leaves too

06/15/2017

Martin Billings, partner in the Real Estate department at BrookStreet des Roches, explains how what you might consider a simple right of way, can become a complex one.  In the recent Court of Appeal decision in Gore v Naheed, the court considered the extent to which a right of way in favour of one property could be used to gain access to another property. Whilst on the facts of this case it was found that a driveway could be used to access to an adjacent parking area, it is important to

04/19/2017

Developer John Fisher says the requirement for affordable homes on small developments could threaten the viability - and therefore deliverability - of those schemes. Mr Fisher, managing director of Thames Valley housebuilder T A Fisher, says small developers seeking to maintain a high threshold of quality could find it difficult to incorporate both affordable houses and developer infrastructure contributions on smaller projects. Government changes to national planning policy have sought to

04/06/2017

Rebecca Thomas, Partner - Professional Support at law firm BrookStreet des Roches, explains recent clarification on whether  business rates are due while a building is under refurbishment. The question of whether business rates are payable while a property is being redeveloped has been determined by the Supreme Court in a decision which will be welcomed by owners and developers. Overturning the Court of Appeal decision in Newbigin (Valuation Officer) v SJ & J Monk, it was held that where a

03/29/2017

Following a recent judgement, a rent concession on a property could now be in very different legal territory. Martin Billings and Rosie Gibb, partners in the Real Estate department at BrookStreet des Roches, explain the full implications.  It is not unusual for a rent concession to be documented in a side letter, keeping the arrangement both confidential and personal to the tenant. It is also common for a side letter to contain provisions which allow the arrangement to be terminated if the

09/22/2017

Councillors have refused a plan for up to 200 homes at Abingdon but the scheme is already destined for appeal. Redrow Homes South Midlands had gone to appeal over Vale of White Horse District Council’s  non-determination of its application to build on a site off Hobbyhorse Lane, Sutton Courtenay. In March the council had refused permission but instead of issuing a decision notice, it invoked a ‘cooling off period’ which can help to avoid having costs awarded against the authority on appeal.

09/21/2017

Plans for 377 flats have been submitted for the former Master Brewer Hotel site in Hilingdon. Developer Meyer Homes has proposed the ‘Hilingdon Gateway’ scheme for the 2.48-hectare site in Freezeland Way which will include buildings between four and nine storeys and will include employment and commercial space. A green area known as the Linear Park which will include play space, will run through between the buildings. It will run parallel to a residential street through the development. The

09/21/2017

An 85,000 sq ft office building at Heathrow Airport has been bought by the local council in a bid to generate new revenue. Spelthorne Borough Council has bought the World Business Centre 4' (WBC4) in Newall Road at Heathrow Airport from the Arora Group for around £45million. IT provider, Amadeus, has a 15-year lease on the building. It’s the latest in a series of acquisitions by Spelthorne and other councils who  are having to find new ways to fund services because of Government cutbacks.