Regional evolution

David Bainbridge, director of planning in the Savills' South Central team, joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

He provides a snapshot into the various changes proposed for local government across the Golden Triangle.

David can boast a rare mix of experience including more than 20 years in consultancy and seven in local government including spells at East Cambridgeshire District Council, Northampton Borough Council and Milton Keynes Council.

A member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and a former chair of its East Midlands region, David has, not just the ideal experience to talk about local government reorganisation, but told us he relishes going through the complexities of the changes.

We went into housing targets, planning reform and devolution and put to him some of the points made at OxPropSummit on March 26.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Oxfordshire – The Developers Forum.

Interview with Rachel Wood, managing director of Sladen Estates, and Charles Butters, who is strategic property advisor to Oxfordshire County Council and founder & director of Sulgrave Advisors.

Oxfordshire is going through a once in a lifetime series of growth changes. Driven by massive investment across the Golden Triangle (Oxford – Cambridge – London) in the Science sector, the county is experiencing high levels of planning applications and business growth which is changing its very nature.

Rachel's Sladen Estates is the developer of Bicester Arc, a major commercial 'gateway' scheme. Oxford University graduate Charles, had worked for British Land but now, through Sulgrave Advisors, is providing expertise to Oxfordshire County Council.

This podcast probes their views on the key talking points around property development in Oxfordshire including planning, infrastructure, placemaking and investment strategies which have been incorporated into the recently launched, Oxfordshire Developers Forum which Charles references.

Many of these challenges will be discussed at OxPropSummit at Trinity College Oxford on March 25 & 26 where both Rachel and Charles will be on our expert panels.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and West London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Hugo Haig is director of Lochailort Investments.

Just as one of his most significant schemes is unveiled, he gave us a preview and offered thoughts on the way forward in the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

Old Town is the latest iteration of the redevelopment of the Kennet Centre in Newbury. Lochailort initially proposed Eagle Quarter which ran into opposition and was finally refused by West Berkshire Council on January 8 after five years.

Now he has joined us to discuss Old Town, an entirely different approach to town centre regeneration.

Rather than Eagle Quarter’s high rise mix of apartments with 27 units for independent retailers, Old Town is a low-rise mix of apartments, maisonettes and houses with just five new retail units.

Mr Haig explains how courtyards and ironwork will be a key feature in a scheme of modern living in styles of a previous era, at the same times as recognising the iron works that once stood on the site.

But he revealed that while Eagle Quarter is still up in the air, the scheme is still being pursued alongside Old Town.

Lochailort built Reading’s first Build-to-Rent scheme, Thames Quarter, which has been a huge success and provided valuable experience of the BTR world.

This podcast is an exclusive discussion with someone seeking to bring about major change in a traditional town.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Legal trends in the housing market

Brian Dowling, residential development partner at law firm Boyes Turner, joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

Based in Reading, Brian works across the Berkshire and South East UK property markets representing developers of all sizes, but in particular, SME housebuilders and sees, first hand, the challenges facing the sector from finding land to the planning system.

The legal profession plays an essential role in the residential property market helping to oil the wheels on development deals, the purchase of land, advising on the construction process and, of course, representing tenants.

Brian gave us his thoughts on how the market could be improved from his perspective.

Discussion included Permitted Development Rights, Build-to-Rent and co-living but also went into the influence of AI on the legal profession and how the residential planning process could be corrected and improved.

A rare overview of the residential market from someone activity engaged in the doing deals and advising clients.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Almost exactly a year after Andy Jansons first joined us for the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast, he’s back – and this time he had some key developments to talk about.

Fresh from his acquisitions of two office parks, Andy, managing director of Jansons Property, explained his options for developing The Boulevard at Bracknell (Dell’s former head offices) and Kingsmead Business Park at High Wycombe. Subject to planning he is confident he can find value by redeveloping for industrial or converting to residential use as market sentiment changes.

Andy commented that the combination of poor office take-up and the high cost of refurbishment means that values and yields have plummeted across the Thames Valley secondary business park market, creating opportunities for entrepreneurial developers such as Jansons Property.

He also assessed the commercial property scene in towns in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, including Reading, Maidenhead, Wycombe, Slough, and Newbury.

The discussion concluded on the office market across the region, the industrial scene, and the new Labour Government. NB: References were made by Andy to Article 14 and this should have been Article 4.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Blenheim Palace is much more than just a stately home these days and we are really pleased to have Roger File, the property managing director and chief operating officer at Blenheim Palace as our speaker on this episode of Battle & Bunce Talking Property.

In 21 years at Blenheim Palace Roger has accumulated a unique knowledge of how the estate has evolved into becoming a world class destination / brand with interests in the visitor economy, natural capital, carbon sequestration, house building (Blenheim Homes/ Pye Homes), and strategic land promotion.

Roger talks passionately about all these subjects, including the estate's drive to become net zero by investing in infrastructure and connecting with the local community by investing in new schemes, including Park View and Hill Rise in Woodstock. He also talks about the Botley West Solar Farm and finally, how The Blenheim Estate has helped the local community to save a historic local pub.

Starting next year, the palace will be re-roofed in a £12.5 million project, and visitors will have a rare opportunity to learn about the work.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Thames Valley UK: The Prop Market Update

Guy Parkes, partner at Vail Williams in Reading, joined the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast at Apex Reading to go over the office market in the Thames Valley prop market, situated to the west of London and bordered by the M3, M4 and M40 motorways.

Guy, a veteran of the office industry, sees a pattern emerging in which home workers are being tempted back to the office, especially where the employer can boast today’s best-in-class stock. This positive story resonates in the key towns in the region but is tempered by the changing narrative for secondary business parks and locations.

He sees optimism in the Reading market, difficulty in Slough, the Oxford market being shaped by the need for lab space and major changes in Bracknell where the once dominant office market is giving way to a return to the town’s industrial origins.

Some occupiers are benefitting by taking fully fitted out space which has become surplus for an existing occupier. Guy is optimistic that the region will keep evolving given its proximity to the economy of London and the transport links of Heathrow.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Jonathon Clarke, development director for Oxford United FC, joined us for the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast to update listeners on the club's proposed new stadium.

The man steering the £140 million project talked us through the highs and lows so far and the research the club has carried out to come up with the design for the 16,000-capacity ground along with its hotel and conferencing facilities.

Mr Clarke spoke of the stadiums and venues the club visited to learn how to create the best possible match day experience and how there will be a focus on community involvement.

He said discussions are being held relating to what the club will do during the period when the lease runs out on the Kassam Stadium which will be before the new stadium is complete.

Property in the modern football world is, he said, hugely significant, a comment which echoed the thoughts of Nigel Howe, former chief executive of Reading FC, in a previous podcast.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com