Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

EDGE on why London's greenest tower could be the blueprint for post-pandemic office design. Plus positivity, pancakes and socially distant street parties

On this week's episode of EG's We're Still Here podcast host Emily Wright is joined by deputy editor Tim Burke for a round-up of this week's news. From the future of flexible offices to predictions of rent plunges, it has been another week of uncertainty and potential hardship.

But there are some green shoots starting to emerge, literally. Boudewijn Ruitenburg, chief operating officer of Dutch developer EDGE features on this week's podcast revealing why plans for EDGE London Bridge - set to be the greenest office tower in London and EDGE's debut in the UK capital - could be a blueprint for post-pandemic office design.

He also reveals why he believes core cities like London will fare well no matter how tough the market gets as investors flock to safe havens in the coming months.

For all this plus Tim's update on pancakes, bunting and a VE Day street party, tune in to this week's episode.

Recovery from Covid: Why balance, collaboration and understanding matter most in rebuilding the economy

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary is joined by quartet of industry leaders to talk about enabling a viable future for our towns and cities, making sure that industry, politicians and Joe Public are all speaking the same language, and ultimately, about balance, survival and coming out of the coronavirus changed for the better.

The conversation follows EG's publication of exclusive figures providing the most comprehensive view of retail real estate ownership in the UK. Using Radius Data Exchange, EG has been able to show that more than 900m sq ft of retail in the UK is ultimately owned by the UK public – be that through local authority ownership, pension funds, charitable groups or private investments.

However, recent government measurements have placed the cost of the Covid-enforced shutdown of retail almost wholly at the feet of landlords in a measure could do untold damage to the UK's high streets, towns and cities at a time when they really need investment.

So listen in for a conversation about the role that both real estate and government have to play ensuring the UK comes out of the Covid-19 crisis with the best chance of economic recovery featuring 

• Chris Grigg, chief executive, British Land;
• Bill Hughes, head of real assets, Legal & General Investment Management, and chair of the Property Industry Alliance;
• Melanie Leech, chief executive, British Property Federation; and
• Vivienne King, chief executive, Revo.

To read EG's analysis of the data, visit: www.egi.co.uk/news/hidden-dangers-of-government-raid-on-landlords-revealed/

To watch a presentation of the Radius Data Exchange analysis by EG's head of research James Child, visit: www.egi.co.uk/news/who-owns-uk-retail/

 

 

Seven-day weeks and half empty offices for a year after lockdown, staying sane in a tough week and why you might be surprised to find out who really owns UK retail

In this week's episode of EG's We're Still Here podcast, host Emily Wright is joined by editor Sam McClary to reflect on a tough week and tentative signs of a return to relative normality.

As lockdown continues, the duo discuss the benefits of the office as a hive environment before delving into this week's comments from CBRE's new head of technology around how a return to work might look 6-12 months post-lockdown.

From half empty offices to seven-day weeks and a potential move away from big offices, it will be infrastructure around the working week most likely to change the most dramatically, rather than the aesthetic of the office itself.

They also cover some of EG's biggest stories of the week including a piece of data that reveals just who the true owners of UK real estate are. The answer might surprise you and it provides clear evidence as to why government needs to rethink its latest measures to crackdown on landlords in favour of retailers during the current crisis.

Tune in for this and much more including some open, honest chat around the pressures and strains of the continued lockdown.

Lockdown, Lockdown, Lockdown: A look at the residential market with Phil Spencer

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary sits down, virtually of course, with TV presenter and residential property expert Phil Spencer to talk about all things residential, from how the market is faring during the coronavirus lockdown to how the world of estate agency is transforming, industry reputation and philanthropy.

We also take time out to talk Phil's most recently fundraising challenge, climbing the height of Everest in the Alps to raise money for the Brain Tumour Charity and play our only little commercial property game of Love it or List it.

Listen in to find out which London office icon gets the Spencer seal of approval.

Bricks & Mortar: The basics of the court process

The court process can be bewildering, costly and adversarial, but it can also provide closure and legal precedent. But where do claims start and how can claimants expect them to progress?

To answer these, and other questions on the basics of the court process, EG's professional & legal editor, Sarah Jackman is joined by Paul Tonkin, a partner in the real estate disputes team at Hogan Lovells.

He discusses the tiers of court operating in England, which court is suited to which type of claim, the timeframes involved in litigating and the governing legislation.

 

Finance Talks: Real estate loan market risks year-long Covid-19 slowdown

Commercial real estate loan origination in the UK saw a double-digit fall last year, according to the latest instalment of a widely regarded report on the market – and its author has warned the coronavirus crisis could now lead to a year-long downturn

In this podcast Tim Burke, EG's deputy editor, speaks with Nicole Lux from Cass Business School about the latest UK Commercial Real Estate Lending Report, loan origination in 2019 and the outlook for the financing markets during and after the coronavirus crisis.

"Virtually no firm will get the return to work right on day one. This will be a perpetual experiment." Talk turns to how we return to the office on We're Still Here

On this week's We're Still Here podcast host Emily Wright and EG reporter Lucy Alderson are joined by workplace expert Neil Usher as we start to think seriously about a return to the office.

The good news according to Usher - Sky's former workplace director now heading up partnerships at GoSpace AI - is that the path ahead is a once in a lifetime opportunity. A chance for companies to reset as they consider a strategy for a return to work that takes into consideration more than just the workplace itself. This, says Usher, is the easy part as firms will have to focus more on the wider structure around work from commuting to office hours and staff volumes on a day by day basis.

He warns, however, that most people will get it wrong in the first instance. No one knows what the post-pandemic world will look like and making office space work for the future will be akin to "a perpetual experiment." He adds that one thing is for sure, it will be less about aesthetic than people might expect.

"People are trying to envisage what this future space will look like," he says. "It is more about answering a big question. What is the workplace actually for?"

For Usher's thoughts on an answer to this question plus a round-up of the biggest EG news stories this week from Lucy Alderson, tune in to hear more.

Future of Birmingham: Smart cities - enhancing existing environments (session 1)

Future of Birmingham: Next-generation communities (session 2)

EG Sustainability Live: Eyes on the horizon - let's use this time wisely (session 4)