August, 2008

Sir Philip Green, owner of the BHS and Arcadia groups, has raised his concerns over rental arrangements for retailers on their commercial properties.

Ian Coull, the chief executive of Segro, has criticised the removal of rate relief on empty commercial properties as his company revealed a first-half loss of £315 million.

Supermarket chain Netto has purchased a £2.4 million Monk Bretton retail parade in Barnsley.

Innes England has sold a retail and office property in Leicester for a figure "well in excess" of the £350,000 asking price.

The empty rates tax on is affecting development efforts, urban regeneration agencies warn.

Targetfollow has been granted planning permission for its £122 million development south of Norwich city centre.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on chancellor Alistair Darling to reduce price pressures on retailers in his pre-budget report.

Land Securities has sold its 50 per cent share in Earls Court's Empress State.

Cardiff's commercial property market is "tough" but a lack of city development means rents could still rise, one expert says.

Firoka Group has pulled out of plans for a leisure and residential development at Alexandra Palace.

Marine developer DP World has signed a £400 million contract to build the first phase of a new port at London Gateway.

The Dawnay Day property portfolio is to be broken up and sold by the accountants appointed to administer it.

Brixton Estates says Bob Dylan's lyrics describe the "apocalyptic" state of the commercial property market.

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Southampton council have given the go-ahead for the £500 million redevelopment of the former Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in the city.

Rochdale metropolitan borough council will re-run the selection process to find a development partner for the £250 million town centre revamp.

The Arora Family Trust (AFT) has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of assets from Airport Property Partnership (APP), a joint venture between BAA and clients of Morley Fund Management.

The government should gradually reapply business rate relief for empty properties as it is harming the industry and wider economy, according to the British Property Federation (BPF).

There will always be a demand for prime commercial property, despite the problems currently felt, the British Property Federation (BPF) says.

Individual Restaurant Company (IRC) has secured £18.5 million to fund its national expansion plans.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) South East, the government organisation that helps UK companies succeed in international markets, has relocated.

A joint venture formed seven years ago between Ryder Architecture and HKS is to split.

Australian developer Goodman has been selected to partner the government for an Oxfordshire science park project.

Phase one of Partnership Park, a £6.5 million business park built on derelict industrial land in Portsmouth, has been fully let.

Bournemouth University's Executive Business School has signed up to take all 45,000 square feet (sq ft) of Regent Place in Bournemouth.

Developer Kubik Design has signed Premier Inn, the Whitbread-owned hotel chain, to anchor its £25 million scheme in Preston.

A rating revaluation due to be introduced in 2010 could knock offices in the West End.

Developer Lend Lease has pulled out of the £500 million scheme to rejuvenate Stockport town centre.

A design competition to design a £3 million 'grand square' as part of 24 projects in Salisbury city centre has been launched.

The changes to empty rates relief will see developments cancelled and unused buildings demolished, according to the British Property Federation (BPF).

Regeneration consultancy Inner City Solutions has relocated its Manchester office to the Piccadilly Basin development.

Oaklands College has received planning permission for a £100 million facility.

Aurora Property Developments and Premier Property Group (PPG) have submitted a planning application to redevelop a Manchester site.

Eddisons has sold Iveridge Hall near Leeds for more than £1.3 million.

A 315,000 square feet space has been let by Frontier Estates to food marketing company Jenks Sales Brokers.

Schroders and Stanhope can commence the Croydon Gateway development scheme after the government refused to confirm a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

Clothing manufacturer Uneek Clothing is to relocate to a 136,000 square feet site at Wirral Business Park in Upton.

Plans have been announced by Hotel Du Vin to open a 40-bedroom hotel, wine bar and restaurant in Canterbury.

Some 23,000 square feet (sq ft) has been let at a Warrington business park by MEPC.

Goodman and Unilever have won a planning appeal for the Colworth Science Park.

Construction work has started on a £1.8 million business park in Lincoln.

Dutch architects Mecanoo has won the competition to design the £193 million Birmingham Library.

Commercial property firm Atisreal has set up a specialist team to advise those with redundant or derelict properties which are now liable for empty business rates.

Budget supermarket chain Lidl aims to build on struggling housing development sites.

Development of Silverstone will not include a planned housing element, after the local councils agreed that planners could drop that aspect.

Rokeby Developments has announced it has signed five pre-lets for phase 2b of its mixed-use scheme in Newcastle.

The sale of Kenmore Capital's Whittle Estate in Leicester demonstrates strong occupier demand in the area, according to the company.

Whitbread is to acquire 21 Express by Holiday Inn hotels from Mitchells and Butlers, in exchange for 44 of its pub restaurants.

Plans drawn up by British Land for a 35-storey office tower in Birmingham have been described as 'incoherent and confused' by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE).

More than 30 buildings designed by UK architects have been shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival Awards.

Kilmartin is to draw up plans for a £500 million waterside scheme in Southampton, according to one news provider.