For the latest weekly round-up, Jess Harrold is joined by editor Sam McClary and head of events Natalie Roberts to discuss the event of the season, the 2023 EG Awards. McClary shares her favourite memories from a special night, including co-hosting with the iconic Ruby Wax, and honouring the winner of this year's Outstanding Individual Award, the similarly legendary Sue Brown, managing director of Real Estate Balance. Roberts offers insights on what it takes to put on an event of this magnitude, and what she was most proud about on the night - as well as a few teases about what comes next in the always-packed EG calendar. Read all about this year's winners at: https://www.egi.co.uk/news/oh-what-a-night-eg-awards-winners-announced/ And be sure to catch up with EG's Starting Out in Real Estate special at: https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=9e29e9f5-079d-4cec-b3ff-d2ee44e6933f

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the BPF, joins Piers Wehner and Mark Prisk to discuss the focus on planning and development at party conferences, the potential impact of scrapping HS2 North, and the contrasting approaches to public and private financing in the property sector.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of workplace design, sustainability has emerged as the key consideration. In this podcast, EG, in collaboration with Peldon Rose, will explore how we can create workspaces that minimise environmental impact while maximising employee wellbeing and productivity. We will discuss the possibilities of balancing the use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems without compromising on design aesthetics and ask whether sustainable design can truly deliver on its promises of reduced costs and improved occupier satisfaction. Join us as we delve into how sustainable design practices can positively influence both landlords and tenants, and align with their broader environmental, social and governance strategies. See Peldon Rose's sustainability manifesto here 

In this podcast, Samantha McClary is joined by Pooja Agrawal, chief executive, Public Practice, Rokhsana Fiaz, mayor of Newham, Kirsten Hewson, partner & head of real estate, Shoosmiths, Thomasin Renshaw, chief development officer, Pocket Living, Cath Shaw, deputy chief executive, Barnet Council and Lucy Wood, UK climate solutions leader, Stantec. They debate what progress is being made to go above and beyond planning compliance to deliver better places to live and work and rebuild trust in our communities. What role does planning policy play? How can developers and planners maximise social value through collaboration? And what engagement is needed from all stakeholders to lead to more inclusive, sustainable and beneficial projects for communities and society as a whole?

In August 2022, Whitbread announced it had acquired 5 Strand for a hub by Premier Inn hotel. The 700-bedroom development will create one of the largest budget hotels in central London, a stone’s throw from Nelson’s Column. In this exclusive EG podcast, the team behind the £125m acquisition will lift the lid on why they were so attracted to the location, how the opportunity came about and the task of planning for such a large hotel in the heart of the West End. And we ask what will it bring and how does it align with Westminster City Council’s goals for sustainability and a fairer economy?

Co-living has been gaining in popularity as a housing trend, especially in urban areas among young professionals and digital nomads. The attraction of co-living spaces lies in their ability to offer affordable, social and flexible living arrangements while also providing access to vibrant communities of individuals with shared interests and values. In this EG podcast, in collaboration with JLL’s head of living capital markets, Simon Scott – whose team has a proven track record of working with both investors and developers to create successful and vibrant rental communities in the UK – we discuss where the real opportunity is for co-living going forward and how we might expect the market to evolve over the next decade. What are consumers looking for, and what are the development and investment opportunities? How will ESG priorities, climate change and sustainability affect this product and the tenant group that it targets?

The podcast explores the benefits of flex space in the post-pandemic era, including scalability, versatility, and location. It discusses the premium that flex space brings to buildings, highlighting increased rental income and demand. The chapter focuses on the division between top-tier and average office spaces in London and the challenge of fluctuating office attendance. It also explores how customers are using flex space and amenities efficiently, as well as the adoption of sustainable changes in the industry. The importance of collaboration and tailored approaches in the flexible office market is emphasized, along with the growth and maturation of the sector.

For the latest weekly round-up, Jess Harrold is joined by editor Sam McClary and news editor Pui-Guan Man. Man dives into the results of EG's extensive survey on what RICS members want from the beleaguered organisation going forward, and shares details of her EG Interview with the current leadership of the RICS: chief executive Justin Young, board chair Martin Samworth and regulation board chair Nigel Clarke. McClary shares her passion for EG's Future Leaders program and the lessons learned from the nine inspirational speakers at the latest Future Leaders summit - everything from proper investment, to the authenticity gap, how to speak to Gen Z and the right way to ask, and answer, "how are you?" Listen to McClary share her highlights of the event, then watch all nine talks at: https://www.eg.co.uk/eg-events/future-leaders-talks/    

Associated British Ports is searching for a national agent to work alongside regional specialists so it can press the accelerator on commercial opportunities across its estate of 21 sites in the UK, according to its Humber head of property Greg Lacey. ABP has launched a property growth strategy in which it aims to considerably increase revenues from commercial occupiers. Lacey believes ports provide a mixture of connectivity and competitive land prices allied with the incentives on offer through the freeports initiative that will make them a force to be reckoned with over the next decade. He also believes ports can be a driving force in the race to net zero with a number of renewable technologies on site that can offer green and competitively-priced energy to ABP’s growing roster of commercial tenants.

This latest episode of Bricks & Mortar sees EG’s Sarah Jackman catch up with Barny Evans, director – sustainability & ESG, at planning & development consultancy, Turley. Evans has spent over 20 years in the sustainability field and has seen it evolve significantly in that time, both in terms of the breadth of available career opportunities and the policy that underpins it. He discusses his route into the profession, the things that have helped him advance his career and why sustainability is a rewarding and dynamic area of real estate to be part of. He has plenty of advice for those looking to get into the sector, which he also details in EG’s new Starting out in real estate publication: www.eg.co.uk/starting-out-in-real-estate