020 7538 0102
7th November 2014
The UK's first £1m council flat is up for sale. The owners, who bought it under the "right to buy" scheme for £48,000 in 1989, are set to make £952,000. The 706 sq ft ground-floor property in Chelsea has three bedrooms, a front terrace and a communal courtyard.
The Sun (02/11/14)
31st October 2014
Planning officers at Tower Hamlets council have approved Berkeley Homes’ proposals for a twin-tower residential scheme at South Quay Plaza, just south of the Canary Wharf estate. The plans now go to the council’s strategic development committee, which is due to rule on the scheme on November 6th. The report found that the density of the scheme "would not result in significantly adverse impacts typically associated with overdevelopment", and would complement similar buildings south of Marsh Wall. The main tower will be 68 storeys (220m) high, while the second will be 36; 888 homes are planned in all, including 188 affordable properties.
The Wharf (29/10/14)
31st October 2014
It is estimated that more than 55,000 new homes will be built in east London over the next five years – making up 29% of all new developments in the capital. Demand has been driven by improvements to the area made in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games; new transport developments such as the East London portion of the London Overground, and the anticipated completion of Crossrail in 2018 have also increased the area’s attraction to buyers, as have lower average capital values in areas such as Tower Hamlets and Newham, making it easier for developers to acquire land for affordable homes.
The Wharf (25/10/14)
31st October 2014
The Centre for London has called for a radical transfer of powers from Whitehall to London's City Hall to tackle the capital's housing crisis, improve its public services and invest in its infrastructure. The think-tank believes that London should be given more power over its taxes - particularly property taxes - to ensure that it can meet its housing needs. The centre is also recommending that towns and districts close to the capital should be able to choose, through local referendums, whether to become part of the capital.
Financial Times (27/10/14)
31st October 2014
A study by Stirling Ackroyd suggests that London could find room for up to 570,000 new homes over the next decade. The reports says that redeveloping 1.3% of the capital's land area would make space for the extra homes, while preserving all green space. Stirling Ackroyd MD Andrew Bridges said: "Even a cautious projection puts the capital’s population at 9m before 2020, and half a decade before that landmark the city already needs more homes." It studied the available land in all 625 London wards and identified those with the best homebuilding potential.
Evening Standard (24/10/14)
31st October 2014
London has been named the most expensive city to buy high-end new-builds with the average prime residential new-build currently costing £2,000 per sq ft, according to new research by CBRE. Hong Kong is the second most expensive with costs per sq ft of £1,950, followed by New York at £1,800 per sq ft.
The Independent (30/10/14)