Prop-arazzi

New consumer research by Mintel Ireland published in the Irish News this morning has noted that the construction industry in Northern Ireland experienced a 10% growth last year and is now valued at £3.5 billion.

 Other key findings include:

• Expenditure in public sector housing increased from £87.4 million in 200 to £134 million in 2007
• It is expected that £18 billion will be spent on a range of infrastructure projects over the next 10 years
• Need for further relaxation in the planning process to stimulate future market growth

John Armstrong from the Construction Employers Federation has welcomed the findings as ‘positive’. He added, ‘while the delivery of social and affordable housing is a priority issue for the new executive there is a distinct danger that if policies for their delivery are introduced without appropriate consultation or time to allow the industry to factor in the additional costs then the house builders will simply stop building’.

The first Cereal Networking event of 2008 proved to be a real success yesterday morning.  Liz Peace, Chief Executive of the British Property Federation, delivered her views on the challenges facing the property market in 2008 to an audience which included senior representatives of Land Securities, DP9, RICS, Teacher Stern Selby, Turley Associates and many others.

Following her assesment of the challenges, Liz expanded on:

• the challenges and opportunities for the property industry and new Minister for Housing and Planning, Caroline Flint
• the perception that in the past the property industry has made too much money (!)
• Changes to leasecode and valuation systems
• The property industry under the Conservatives
• What might be in the budget - which will be held during MIPIM week
• The role and scope of Brussells and the European Property Federation
• Stamp Duty evasion and VAT codes
• The London Mayor’s new powers and the implications for London Boroughs.

Watch this space for details of the next Cereal Networking event.

Brouchures and questionnaires have gone out in advance of the opening of the Lakeside Basin / West Thurrock Master Plan consultation opening on Moday 11th Feb in Lakeside Shopping Centre.

The exhibition and materials have been managed and put together by Weber Shandwick in record time for client Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation.  Weber Shandwick were brought on board by Master Plan architect Benoy, who also work with Weber Shandwick in Peterborough (Hammerson Queensgate) and Telford (Hark Group and Apollo Real Estate).

Some people’s idea of hell is standing in the atrium of a large shopping mall at this time of year as people push past you to get to the increasingly glitter strewn shelves lulled into a trance via shakin’ steven christmas classics and xmas instrumentals blurring out over the instore entertainment systems. Well, last night we escaped the christmas crush and executed a fantastic community exhibition on behalf of a major retailer just outside Belfast on the proposals for a large development and extention of one of the best loved shopping centres in NI.

One thing that struck us as we watched person after person visit the exhibiton was the importance of involving the local communities in plannned proposals and developments. Gaining support from the people that will be directly or indirectly affected by planning proposals is of the utmost importance and something that should not be taken lightly by property developers and companies.

What community exhibitions do is allow the local community to be part of the planning process and ensure that their voices are heard and answers given there and then to inform how they think about certain plans and to clarify any uncertainity they may have. You’ll find, as we have this morning going through the comments and feedback forms that if you bring the community on board you will be surprised at how much positive support people are willing to give in the name of development. This is only one strand of the overall communications programme we are currently undertaking but possibly the most important. So involve the community, let them know whats going on and who knows what property santa might bring…planning permission!

Hello and welcome to Prop-arazzi.com the blog of the Weber Shandwick UK and Ireland property team.

Prop-arazzi.com aims to bring you the most up to date legislative information, comment on property communcations and general info on the property sector across the British Isles from our NO.1 team headed up by some of our most experienced communications consultants in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin and Belfast.

Professional and effective communciations are vital to every property company’s success whether the audience is corporate, political or the community.

Whether it is to strenghten your planning submission proposals, mangaging your community relations, establishing and managing reputation and issues or to enhance your reputation with the financial world - the WS property team should be your first port of call.