Prop-arazzi

Big thanks to the guys at SiliconRepublic.com - Ireland’s leading Technology News Service - for their very kind words on prop-arazzi.com in their latest Blog Digest. See below for what they said about us:

‘A comprehensive property blog from the Weber Shandwick property team, this site covers planning, new developments, the environment and all property related issues important to those in the industry.

Although there is a heavy bias towards coverage of the UK, there are still many good posts relating to both the Republic and Northern Ireland.

With the current credit crunch and the downturn in the construction industry, it appears vital to keep your eyes peeled for news on property, whether you are in this business or not, as changes in this sector are likely to ripple throughout the economy’.
 

Check out the website by clicking here. 

The oil industry is not the only sector under scrutiny at the moment. The ongoing credit crunch and falling house prices have ensured that banking remains firmly in the media spotlight.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP joined us this morning at Weber Shandwick for a briefing session for which we are very grateful. Please click the link below for our latest briefing -Housing the Nation.

Demographic and social changes, leading to the formation of more, smaller households, have been upping the pressure for an increase in housing supply for nearly a decade. More recently, the squeeze on access to mortgage finance means that the affordability of buying one’s own home is becoming increasingly remote for lower income groups. When you add to that the challenge of improving the environmental performance of domestic accommodation – a major source of carbon dioxide emissions – it is easier to still see why housing has again been elevated as a major policy issue for the Government. This guide explores the Government’s growing concentration on the provision of greater social housing.

Please click here to download the guide.

Caroline Flint was on sparkling form as she addressed a packed audience at Weber Shandwick this morning. 

Speaking to a room full of industry experts she outlined the Government policy on eco-towns, refurbishment, local government, use of government land and much more.

Watch this space for future event information.

Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, has announced the short list for Gordon Brown’s ten eco-town’s this morning.  The towns are designed with the twin aims of addressing the housing shortage and creating low - or zero - carbon communities in the UK.

The areas on the short list are:

- Pennbury, Leicestershire: 12-15,000 homes on a development incorporating brownfield, greenfield and surplus public sector land. Four miles south east of Leicester. This proposal could include 4,000 new affordable houses in an area of high affordability pressure.

- Manby and Strubby, Lincolnshire: 5,000 homes put forward by East Lindsey District Council on two sites, with large elements of brownfield land including a former RAF base. The proposal complements the strategic plan for the phased relocation of communities on Lincolnshire coast because of high flood risk, and could include 1,500 affordable homes in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Curborough, Staffordshire: 5,000 homes on the brownfield site of the former Fradley airfield, ten miles from Burton. The proposal could include 2,000 affordable houses in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Middle Quinton, Warwickshire: 6,000 homes on a former Royal Engineers depot which has a rail link to the Worcester-London rail line. Six miles South West of Stratford upon Avon. The proposal could include 2,000 affordable houses in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Bordon-Whitehill, Hampshire: 5-8,000 homes on a site owned by the Ministry of Defence. A significant number of ex-MoD homes are already on the site, west of Whitehill-Bordon. The proposal could include 2,000 affordable houses in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Weston Otmoor, Oxfordshire: 10-15,000 homes on a site adjoining the M40 and the Oxford-Bicester railway. Three miles south west of Bicester, the site includes a current airstrip. The scheme could include between 3,000 and 5,000 affordable homes, in an area of extreme affordability pressure.

- Ford, West Sussex: 5,000 homes on a site which includes brownfield land and the former Ford airfield. Close to rail line linking London and the Sussex coast. The scheme could include 1,500 affordable homes, in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Imerys China Clay Community, Cornwall: Development of around 5,000 homes on former china clay workings, industrial land and disused mining pits no longer needed by owner Imerys. Close to St Austell. The scheme could include 1,500 affordable homes, in an area of extreme affordability pressure.

- Rossington, South Yorkshire: Up to 15,000 homes regenerating the former colliery village of Rossington, three miles south of Doncaster. The scheme could include 1,500 affordable homes, in an area of moderate affordability pressure.

- Coltishall, Norfolk: 5,000 homes on a former RAF airfield, eight miles north of Norwich. The scheme could include 2,000 affordable homes in an area of very high affordability pressure.

- Hanley Grange, Cambridgeshire: 8,000 homes on land adjacent to the A11 designed to improve the severe lack of housing in and around Cambridge. The scheme could include 3,000 affordable homes in an area of extreme affordability pressure.

- Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire: Up to 15,400 homes on a series of sites, including former industrial sites, along the east-west rail line to Stewartby and Millbrook. The scheme could include 2,000 affordable homes in an area of high affordability pressure.

- Elsenham, Essex: A minimum of 5,000 homes north east of the existing Elsenham village. Close to M11 and the London to Cambridge rail line. The scheme could include 1,800 affordable homes in an area of extreme affordability pressure.

- Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire: An eco-town proposal was submitted for Kingston-on-Soar, to the south of Nottingham. In response to representations from Rushcliffe Borough Council, this site is not to be pursued. However, the Government is proposing to carry out a further review in partnership with RBC to consider whether there is a suitable alternative location with the potential to be viable within the Rushcliffe local authority area.

- Leeds City Region, Yorkshire: A number of eco-town proposals were submitted for locations within the area of Leeds City Region partnership of 11 authorities and principally between Leeds and Selby. The Leeds City Region Partnership has indicated support in principle for an eco-town within the sub-region. The Partnership has proposed a further study to compare the best alternative locations across the Leeds City Region partnership area. The Government has agreed to support this approach, on the basis that it will allow a further announcement to be made shortly of one or more sites for consultation

All the sites are expected to be deeply controversial - and Weber is on standby to help!

After the Budget yesterday here is a run down of the Government’s forthcoming announcements. Does anything here impact on you, your business, your outlook, if so please make sure you get in contact with us at Weber Shandwick Property - the leading property communications team in the UK and Ireland.

Coming Up:

Sale and rent-back market
The Office of Fair Trading will lead a study of the market this year, focusing on consumers’ experience of these arrangements, and consider options to strengthen consumer protections

Regional strategy
The government will shortly consult on bringing together the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) into a single strategy setting out housing plans alongside wider economic, social and environmental objectives

Brownfield land
The government is introducing measures to reform the tax incentives for developing brownfield land to make them more environmentally sustainable. The government will consult on draft legislation in the summer (Red book, Chapter 5, pg 86, 5.40).

Zero carbon buildings
The government sets out an ambition for all new non-domestic buildings to be zero carbon from 2019. The government will consult this year on the timeline for this ambition and its feasibility, and review progress in 2013. (Red book, chapter 1, pg 7, 1.17) and

Green Homes Forum
In order to support effective delivery and to harness the enthusiasm and expertise of community groups and other interested parties, the government will convene a Green Homes Forum in the autumn. The government is also interested in exploring what more can be done to raise awareness amongst the public of the ways and benefits of improving domestic energy efficiency.

Zero-carbon homes
The government will set out the definition for a zero-carbon home for the purposes of the 2016 ambition by the end of 2008, following a consultation in summer

Building allowances
Legislation will be introduced in Finance Bill 2008 to give effect to changes relating to industrial building allowances, enterprise zone allowances and agricultural buildings allowances 

Relief for zero-carbon flats
Legislation will be introduced to extend SDLT relief to cover new zero carbon flats

Notification and rate thresholds
Legislation will be introduced to change the rules for persons notifying HMRC about land transactions. The “£600 rule” will also be changed and, from later this year, agents will be allowed to sign declarations in the certificate that no stamp duty land tax (SDLT) is due
 
Anti-avoidance legislation affecting partnerships
Legislation will be introduced to amend provisions to ensure that, where there is a transfer of an interest in a property within an investment partnership, there will be no charge to SDLT

House prices indices
The government will work with industry to investigate the possibilities for the development of detailed house price indices which would help the development of insurance on house price movements

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).

Liz Peace, Chief Executive, British Property Federation will be the principle speaker at the first of the Weber Shandwick Property team events in 2008.

Date: 13th February 2008
Time: 8am for 8.30am
Location: Weber Shandwick London, Fox Court, 14 Gray’s Inn Road London, WC1X 8WS
This will be the first of a series of events across the UK and Ireland.

If you would like to attend please contact Julian Seymour on jseymour@webershandwick.com or Chris Brown on chbrown@webershandwick.com

The 13.12.07 marks a new land mark in the history of Northern Ireland, no not ANOTHER peace accord, no not ANOTHER nobel peace prize winner unveiled, but the opening of the first EVER IKEA store on the island of Ireland. The crowds expected will be so large that some of the PSNI crowd control officers have had to go to Spain to brush up on their riot control skills - which is rather bizarre as they are from a city that has kinda made a name for itself in that department.

Here at Weber Shandwick we carried out the planning and public affairs work prior to the granting of planning permission by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain MP. Our office in Dublin is currently working for the Swedish gaint ahead of the second store in Dublin due to open in 2008 and we wish them every success.

On Thursday NI might flip up on its side as the weight of many thousands focus on the new east Belfast store beside George Best City Airport. The above the line advertising for IKEA has been massive, everywhere you turn in Belfast, there is a billboard filled with the yellow and blue corporate colours, every NI webpage has an online advert and every NI paper has double page spreads of sofas, cups and the kitchen sink. Recently 600, 000 IKEA catalogues have been delivered to the salivating public - the region has been blitzed.

Belfast has never seen the likes of this of late. IKEA frenzy has gripped us all firmly by the swedish meatballs - yes, also available in store by the way.