November 13, 2013
UK commercial activity growth at strongest rate since March 2007
Improved client confidence, easier and greater access to funds, the general upturn in the UK economy and overall stronger demand have contributed to a 79-month high for the UK commercial property sector, according to a new survey from commercial property consultancy Savills. The Total Commercial Development Activity Index from Savills posted +30.2 per cent in October. This was supported by a return to growth in public commercial projects, while the pace of expansion in private commercial work reached a survey peak. UK total commercial activity rose at the strongest rate since March 2007, with the net balance registering +30.2 per cent during October. UK commercial developers also indicated that both public and private commercial office activity increased during the last month. Click here to see the full report.
October 28, 2013
Global urbanisation trends present UK cities with new opportunities
by Charles Marks • Comment, Environment, Property, Technology
There is a great deal of talk about the growing urbanisation of the world right now, and its effects on societies, economies and individuals. The numbers of people involved are daunting, especially in the developing world. As a result, many countries are currently experiencing the sort of upheaval we in Britain experienced nearly 300 years ago, and they are doing so in a very compressed time span compared to the 150 years it took in Britain. But the changing nature of cities is also apparent in the UK where it is having an effect not only in the country’s only megacity but in regional centres too. For places such as Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Glasgow the challenges presented by a new generation of initiatives focussed on urbanisation can be profound and mark an opportunity to shift at least some of the UK’s economic focus away from London.
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