Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

EG's legal & professional editor, Jess Harrold, is joined by Vicky Hernandez, partner and head of retail at law firm RWK Goodman, and Allan Wickham, head of occupier sustainability in the ESG consultancy team at CBRE, to discuss the rise of green leases, with a particular focus on the retail sector. Together, they recap what green leases are, with examples of typical green clauses that might arise in retail leases and a focus on the different shades of green that can apply, plus some of the particular challenges faced in retail. They address the recently updated green lease toolkit, from the Better Buildings Partnership, and how that will aid landlord and tenant negotiations on key lease provisions - hugely important, with the growing need for alignment between property owners and occupiers when it comes to improving the sustainability of our buildings.  

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary takes a break from the normal property chatter and instead turns her attention to real estate’s love of Lycra, friendly competition and, of course, raising vital fund for charity. Listen in as she catches up with three participants of this year’s JLL Property Triathlon – Simon Peacock, Kate Peters and Will Sherlock - to find out how their training has gone, why they choose to don a onesie in front of their colleagues and bosses, and more seriously, what one of the biggest gatherings of real estate professionals achieves for charity. The triathlon – which takes place on 28 June at Dorney Lake –  is in its 17th year and has so far raised more than £2m for charity. For the past three years the event has been raising funds for WWF and by the culmination of this year’s races, expects to have raised more than £600,000 for the charity. Find out more about where and how those funds are being spend and what you can do to help encourage our guests as they swim, bike, run their way round Dorney this Friday.

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.