20th March 2015
Investors are increasingly looking to acquire property in Limehouse and Wapping, Wharf reports. Agents note that homes in Limehouse, unlike those in Canary Wharf, make profit through capital growth rather than month-by-month yield, making them ideal for those in it for the long haul, such as workers planning to build up a property portfolio to fund their retirement. A decent one-bed home in the area goes for around £450,000 and rents at £350-£400 a week.
The Wharf (17/03/15)
20th March 2015
Conservationists and residents of the Isle of Dogs have raised concerns over plans to build a Tesco Express and offices inside The Forge, a mid-19th century warehouse on Westferry Road. A petition that has gathered 815 signatures argues a number of points, including that there are too many Tesco stores on the Island already. The Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society, on the other hand, called the plans “awkward” and unappealing to the eye.
The Wharf (17/03/15)
13th March 2015
London Mayor Boris Johnson has put out feelers for a development partner for the 10 hectare former Parcelforce depot at Stephenson Street in Newham – with the aim of delivering 2,000 new homes, two-thirds of which will be placed on the market, with the remainder reserved for long-term private rent. Mr Johnson said "With London now home to more people than ever before, housing supply and affordability is our biggest challenge. By seeking a development partner for the Stephenson Street site we hope to entice investors and developers to come forward and build quality homes for Londoners”.
Construction Enquirer (11/03/15)
13th March 2015
Hyde New Homes has today (March 13th) launched 24 shared ownership apartments in the Cannons Corner development in Woolwich. The one-and two-bedroom apartments are less than half a mile from Woolwich Dockyard Railway Station, offering excellent access to the City; when Crossrail arrives in 2018, up to 12 services an hour will provide an unbroken service to Canary Wharf and beyond. The apartments feature fully fitted kitchens with high gloss units, integrated ceramic hobs, extractor fans and single ovens from the Zanussi range, as well as ceramic floor tiles. One-beds start from £84,000 for a 40% share, while two-beds start from £107,200.
The Wharf (10/03/15)
13th March 2015
Nick Curtis, writing in the Evening Standard, reports on the increasing popularity of high-rise buildings in London, as places to live and invest in. He comments that, although critics have suggested that each tower is a blight on the historic character of London or that luxury residential developments are taken up by investors where areas become ghost towns full of empty lock-and-leave properties, London needs densified housing to meet the needs of its growing population. Champions of tall buildings claim they can give an area identity and even improve the public realm, he adds.
Evening Standard, Homes and Property (13/03/15)
13th March 2015
British house prices rose more than expected in February, according to the latest RICS survey. RICS said its monthly house price balance rose to +14 in February from +7 in January, above forecasts. The survey showed that only London saw house prices fall during the period, although the rate of decline eased. "It is encouraging that the negative trend in buyer enquiries appears to be dissipating, perhaps in part because of growing confidence that the cost of borrowing will stay lower for longer" said Simon Rubinsohn, RICS chief economist.
The Times (12/03/15)