The handbrake is coming off in the West Midlands, where a recent upturn in deals activity shows the age of uncertainly is approaching its end, according to Shepherd Commercial director Kaine Arkinson. Arkinson was the UK’s top individual dealmaker for May in EG’s On-Demand Rankings. As the month closed he had managed 14 completions, totalling 35,952 sq ft. He says the industrial market is still the dominant force in the West Midlands, with a slew of cash-rich buyers waiting in the wings. However, he also believes there is a distinct shortage of stock at the smaller end of the market, and hopes the planning system can be unlocked to fix it.

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast – recorded live on stage at UKREiiF in Leeds – news editor Pui-Guan Man sits down with a host of experts to discuss how to support social mobility within the real estate sector. While those working in real estate can often come from privileged backgrounds, the sector operates within diverse communities where individuals converge to live, work and socialise. This means that prioritising social mobility is crucial for fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace, as well as for ensuring that the real estate industry mirrors the diversity of its surroundings. In this conversation we look at how we can further advocate for the economic benefits of diversity? What strategies can organisations and individuals employ to drive positive transformations, fostering a more vibrant, adaptable and fair urban landscape? How can tangible opportunities for local communities be provided in the process? Insights delivered from Jennie Colville, head of ESG & sustainability, Landsec Fatima Khan-Shah, inclusivity champion, West Yorkshire Combined Authority David Lynch, director of strategic housing & development, Manchester City Council Julie Simms, partner, joint head of the National Public Sector Real Estate Team and Liverpool managing partner, DWF Brought to you in partnership with DWF.

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast – recorded live at UKREiiF in Leeds – deputy editor Tim Burke sits down with Gowling WLG partner Anjali Bancroft and Vistry Group’s partner investment director Kathryn Pennington to look to the future of single-family housing. Single-family housing in the UK is experiencing rapid growth, emerging as a significant component of the country’s build-to-rent sector. With investors seeking to broaden their portfolios, what level of investment is currently targeting this sector, and what are the sources of funding and supply? The asset class is strategically positioned to alleviate the shortage of high-quality, energy-efficient and contemporary suburban housing in the UK, but is it resilient amid a volatile macroeconomic environment? Listen in as we delve into the opportunities and challenges for investors, owners and operators, offering insights into the customer experience, community development, amenity provision and the growing interest in joint ventures and collaborations. Brought to you in partnership with Gowling WLG.

Experts delve into the importance of off-site biodiversity units for a successful BNG strategy in the property development industry. They discuss the challenges faced, the necessity of collaboration, and how to integrate off-site strategies effectively. Learn about the impact, benefits, and practicality of incorporating biodiversity net gain into development projects.

Office occupiers from London’s traditional markets are increasingly looking towards the City Fringe in search of space and value, according to Belcor agency specialist Rob Elman. Elman was the UK’s top individual office dealmaker on the Radius Rankings for April in terms of deals numbers. He managed six completions amounting to a combined 12,500 sq ft of space. He believes City Fringe is still well stocked with the sort of high-quality, characterful office buildings needed to bring workers back, and says occupiers will increasingly look towards it rather than more central areas where rents are at “insane” levels.

Jess Harrold speaks to Freehold co-chairs Kelly Canterford and Scott Parsons about EG's sixth annual LGBTQ+ in Real Estate – Attitudes, Actions and Allies survey, launched in association with the networking organisation. Together, they discuss the importance of the survey as one of the few sources of actual data about the LGBTQ+ community working in real estate, as well as the opportunity it offers for people to share their stories under the protection of anonymity. Canterford and Parsons explain why they believe as many people as possible should participate in the survey and share their views before the deadline on 9 June. You can do so at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MYDV692  

Forthcoming EPC rules are undeliverable and will need to be rethought, according to Siddall Jones founder and director Ed Siddall-Jones in the latest Voice of the Region podcast. Speaking in front of a live audience in Birmingham at EG’s Birds Eye View West Midlands event, Siddall-Jones said the current directive to bring all office stock up to a minimum EPC Grade B by 2030 would prove prohibitively expensive for most landlords as rental returns would not justify the investment. He also said ESG is no longer the preserve of larger corporates, with smaller companies already finding it hard to raise finance from banks if EPCs are not at specific levels. Siddall Jones leads the way in the Radius On Demand Rankings for the West Midlands region in terms of deals numbers, with 174 lettings and occupational sales completed in the last 12 months.

A vibrant city centre, competitive rents and strong connectivity have helped maintain a solid deals pipeline in Leeds and the surrounding region, according to Carter Towler. Associate director Hazel Cooper and agency surveyor James Jackson spoke to EG in the latest Voice of the Region podcast. Carter Towler is comfortably top of the Radius On Demand Rankings for West Yorkshire for the past 12 months, both in terms of the number of deals done and the amount of space transacted, with 1,019,926 sq ft either let or sold for occupational use across 178 deals. Both the office and industrial sectors face issues around the supply of new stock, although Jackson says new office developments in Wellington Place and Aire Park are being supplemented by high quality refurbishments of existing space.

There will be a sharp rise in the number of distressed property assets being brought to market this year, according to Watling Real Estate director Jamie Lamond. Lamond, who is the Radius dealmaker of the month for March with 160,000 sq ft of disposals, says that although the lending markets are structured very differently compared to previous downturns, appointments of administrators and receivers have begun to surge this year and tougher times lie ahead. He identifies hospitality and the high street as particularly vulnerable, but also expects problems for some assets in the logistics sector as well as London’s office core. However, Lamond believes the situation will not be as profound as the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 due to the weight of money still in the market.

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, Tim Burke, EG’s deputy editor, sits down with the founders of Vectr7 Investment Partners Mary Criebardis Singh and Dominic Wilson to talk about climate technology investment in the real estate space. The pair are raising $25m (£19.7m) for the fund, which will invest in companies across Europe with a specific emphasis on greenhouse gas capture or avoidance in the real assets industries, including real estate, infrastructure, transport and utilities. The fund is targeting cheque sizes of $1m to $3m and will look to invest in around 15 ventures. It has already backed three companies: machine learning powered smart sockets company measurable.energy, hybrid-work management software company Kadence, and local office space and events company Patch. In this 20-minute discussion, we dive into what the pair hope to achieve with the fund, how we need to redefine how the real assets industry utilises technology to address sustainability issues more widely and the changing nature of investment.