Sarah Jackman is joined by Guy Fetherstonhaugh KC, barrister at Falcon Chambers, to discuss the legislative developments that have had the biggest effect during 2023. Fetherstonhaugh addresses the continuing "huge impact" of the Building Safety Act 2022, which has continued to sire a stream of secondary legislation this year, and is beginning to lead to a number of cases. Turning to residential reform, he addresses proposals in the Renters (Reform) Bill and the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill. In addition, Fetherstonhaugh tackles the implications for landlords of the recently enacted Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, and the massive significance of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard regulations. But what are his thoughts on continuing litigation under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and its upcoming scrutiny by the Law Commission - and what legislative change would he most like to find in his Christmas stocking?

Welcome to The School of Hard Knocks, a new six-part series brought to you by EG Property Podcasts that will off up a bounty of lessons from those who have experienced a rough time or two that will enable us to better navigate the tough times ahead. Over the course of this series, we’ll meet people who have lived through some of the highs and lows of this wonderful business of real estate and through our conversations we will dig deep into the skills, the mindsets and the structures you need in place to successfully navigate tricky times. Joining EG editor Samantha McClary as our first scholar in the school of Hard Knocks is Kevin McCabe, the Sheffield-born businessman who set up Scarborough Group, growing the company from zero to a £2bn business. With decades of experience under his belt – some big highs and some low lows – Kevin tells us how his journey began with knowing what he didn’t want to do and how he grew a successful business by making sure he seized the opportunities that came his way, built trust with partners, made sure he knew all the ins and outs of the business and was wise enough to know exactly when things started to feel too good to be true. So, sit back, get your pen and paper ready, because it is time to enrol yourself in EG’s School of Hard Knocks. Listen hard and enjoy because graduation promises a better grounding to navigate any knocks the economy may throw your way, this year or the next.    

This latest episode of Bricks & Mortar features Jones Hargreaves senior associate partner, Sammi Johnstone, discussing her route into real estate and what she loves about surveying.  As she prepares to return to Scotland and head up Jones Hargreaves new Glasgow office, she tells EG's Sarah Jackman why she made the decision to change career into real estate, how her career has evolved since and the joy she derives from the role, not least the variety.

On the latest weekly round-up, Jess Harrold is joined by senior writers, Julia Cahill and Piers Wehner to discuss the latest news in real estate. Wehner tackles the 35% rise in planning fees for major projects and the industry reaction that suggests it does not go far enough to meet the funding gap that is slowing down our planning system - and threatening the finances of our beleaguered local authorities. Cahill dives into worrying findings in the latest RICS Global Sustainability Report that suggests the real estate industry prizes profit over principles - and Wehner sees that bleak news and raises a UK Green Building Council report warning that the industry is “significantly off-track” from the trajectory required to meet the UK’s national net zero commitments. Can the long-awaited return of the quiz of the week lift the collective gloom?

To meet both national and global decarbonisation targets there is a crucial need to improve the condition of existing real estate stock. Embracing the core principles of the three Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle – should play a big part in real estate ESG strategies. In this EG podcast we will hear how Hollis has created its own version of the three Rs to review decarbonisation through reduction, renovation and renewables. We will investigate how reduction can optimise existing systems to perform as efficiently as possible and explore the potential of renovation in prolonging the lifecycle of a building and enhancing the operational performance of estates. Finally, we’ll delve into whether achieving net zero targets necessitates a strong emphasis on on-site renewable energy generation. 

In the latest episode of the politics and property podcast, former housing minister Mark Prisk and EG journo Piers Wehner plunge into the Autumn Statement, like giddy schoolboys attacking a pile of fallen leaves. The chancellor pitched it as a boon for business, with the biggest ever business tax break sat at its heart, but is it as good as all that for the industry? Or are there, lurking beneath the golden leaves, a couple of snares lying in wait?    

This ESG podcast investigates how real estate can look to amplify and intensify its deployment of renewable energy, address climate change and transitioning towards a viable energy future.

In this ESG podcast, EG hears more on the legal requirements and implications of the 2021 Environment Act for biodiversity net gain. How planners can collaborate with developers, local communities, landowners and farmers to deliver BNG beyond the development site and the challenges and opportunities of developing Local Nature Recovery Strategies for BNG.

Oxford Street has long been the backbone of London’s retail scene. It has been the capital’s high street for decades, but over recent years has lost some, if not all, of its shine. Covid hit the street hard and if you believe everything you read in some of our less expert media, the street is now full of Candy Stores and tacky souvenir shops. The truth, of course, is something quite different. Oxford street is very quickly being reborn, with a fresh mix of retailers, a fresh mix of uses and a more focused curation from those that own and operate the street. Vacancy rates are falling, more than 23 candy stores have disappeared from the street – with more to come – some 19 new stores have opened on Oxford Street over the last year and 22 more are under offer. In this episode EG editor Samantha McClary is joined by Savills’ head of global retail Sam Foyle, Sarah Goldman, head of retail at GPE, and retail expert Dan Hildyard for a behind the scenes tour of London’s most famous street as we seek to undo the “national embarrassment” reputation others suggest Oxford Street has become. Enjoy.

Investor demand for hotels in the tourist hotspots and national parks of the south coast sparked a recovery in the transactional hotel market, which has now returned to pre-covid levels of activity, according to Christie & Co regional director of hospitality south Ed Bellfield. Christie & Co comfortably leads in the Radius On Demand Rankings for investment sales in the hotel and leisure sector, with almost £70m of sales across 43 deals for the UK as a whole. It also leads the sector's investment rankings in both the South West and South East. Bellfield says the transactional market for hotels ground to a half in mid-2020 but recovery came first to the tourist destinations on the south coast – where visitor numbers were bolstered by city dwellers looking to escape their urban environments - before spreading to the larger towns and cities. He also says there is a healthy development pipeline for new hotels, with environmental performance now a critical factor.