Search Results for: london

Maturing TMT sector fuels demand for office space in Central London

Maturing TMT sector fuels demand for office space in Central London 0

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The Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) sector was the largest source of demand for office space in Central London in 2015, for the fifth consecutive year finds the latest Knight Frank London Report, Canary Wharf is set to have the strongest Central London office rental growth in 2016 with an increase of 12.8 percent. This is followed by Shoreditch at 10 percent and Midtown at 9.6 percent.  Affordability is the main driver, along with the development of Crossrail, integrating Canary Wharf with the rest of Central London, and a general shortage of available offices across London pushing tenants seeking high quality affordable offices eastwards. Expansion by TMT firms is contributing to the shift, as they are increasingly seeking larger offices. Shoreditch’s increase in office rents will principally be driven by Tech sector expansion as the more mature, established heavy weight tech firms have firmly established a London rival for California’s ‘Silicon Valley’ in the area.

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Agile working is increasingly popular way to reduce London office costs

Agile working is increasingly popular way to reduce London office costs 0

London M25Rent, rates and service charges for office space in established Greater London office locations such as Croydon, Brentford and Uxbridge are typically over 50 percent lower than the cost of equivalent space in Central London locations such as Victoria, Marylebone, St Paul’s, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf, Carter Jonas’ latest research claims. Increases in rents and business rates costs over the last five years, and the erosion of the stock of office buildings in some areas of Central London, as a consequence of redevelopment to higher value residential uses is reducing tenant choice and these factors are leading some occupiers to adopt new strategies to reduce their property footprint. Agile working and hot-desking are becoming popular ways to reduce the amount of space required to accommodate an organisation’s business operations the Tenant Advisory and Research Teams at Carter Jonas have found.

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Six hour working day + WeWork London plans + Megacities & COP21 0

Insight_twitter_logo_2In this week’s newsletter; Mark Eltringham argues the six hour working day is a deeply conservative idea, dressed up in radical clothing; Matias Rodsevic says it’s important to understand what employee engagement actually means and Darren Bilsborough identifies seven separate layers or “skins” of workplace productivity. As COP21 gets underway, there’s evidence that Megacities are taking the lead in climate action, WeWork unveils its latest plans to dominate London; three new reports reveal technological confusion in the workplace; and a study says the Government’s challenge is how best to match its commitments with its resources. You can also download the new issue of Work&Place and access our first Insight Briefing, produced in partnership with Connection, which looks at agile working in the public sector. Visit our new events page, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

WeWork announces latest plans to dominate London’s commercial property scene

WeWork announces latest plans to dominate London’s commercial property scene 0

wework-moorgate-london-4Coworking giant WeWork has announced three new deals as it seeks to become the major player in London’s commercial property market. The firm, founded by Adam Neumann in New York in 2010, has made no secret of its plans for London as we reported earlier this year. The office space provider already has six London locations which it lets out to members (not tenants) who have access to the network of 57 locations in 17 countries on flexible terms via an app. According to a report published this week in Estates Gazette it is now set to add another 1 million sq. ft. to its portfolio in the capital with locations on City Road, Waterhouse Square and Docklands. The plans were announced to coincide with the launch of its largest London centre at Moor Square designed by Oktra. The company has also announced that it intends to launch its WeLive residential property concept in London in the near future following its successful launch in New York.

Where to have great ideas + Workplace professions + London’s office market

Where to have great ideas + Workplace professions + London’s office market 0

Insight_twitter_logo_2In this week’s newsletter; Giuseppe Boscherini explores the growing importance of creativity at work; Mark Eltringham argues that the three professions of the workplace, HR, IT and FM need to adapt and notes a growing disconnect between a firm’s earnings and the number of people it employs. In commercial property, demand for office space in London continues to overwhelm its availability, with English regions outside the Capital leading construction growth.  High job demands, stress and job insecurity are among the main reasons why people go to work when they are ill, and data shows the Internet of things will connect 6.4 billion objects next year. You can also download the new issue of Work&Place and access our first Insight Briefing, produced in partnership with Connection, which looks at agile working in the public sector. Visit our new events page, follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

Record construction of London office space, but supply shortfall remains

Record construction of London office space, but supply shortfall remains 0

Commercial Property LondonDemand for office space in London continues to overwhelm its availability and in spite of record levels of construction, according to two new reports. The latest CBRE Monthly Index claims that rents in Central London’s booming office market grew by 10.3 percent in the year to October 2015, the first time annual growth has hit double digits since April 2008. Despite rapidly rising rents, take-up of offices in Central London continues to outpace the 10 year average. The capital saw 1.1 percent growth in October, with 3.6m sq ft of space snapped up by businesses in the third quarter of 2015, with a further 3.8m sq ft currently under offer and expected to complete before the end of the year. Change could be on the way however as the latest biannnual London crane survey from Deloitte claims that the amount of office space being built in central London has risen by a fifth in six months, the highest level  for seven years.

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Last chance to book next week’s Worktech London at a discounted rate

Last chance to book next week’s Worktech London at a discounted rate 0

Canary-Wharf_1-300x199In just over a week’s time, Worktech, the international conference series on the future of work, workplace and technology will return to Level 39 – Europe’s largest technology accelerator space. The event will bring together over 350 of the biggest and brightest names to debate, discuss and divulge the latest thinking on the future of work. Companies booked to attend include ANZ, AON, Allen & Overy, Arup, Barclays, Cabinet Office, Catlin, Central Working, Cisco, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Diageo, Discovery, Ebay, EE, Ernst & Young, GlaxoSmithKline, Goldman Sachs, IKEA, ITV, International Group for Environment and Development, Kings College London, Lenovo, McKinsey, Microsoft, National Grid, Royal Bank of Scotland, Schroders, Sonos, UBS, Vasakronan and Vodafone. Worktech15 takes place on 17th and 18th November and Insight readers can enjoy discounted tickets.

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Less than one year’s supply of office space now available in Central London

Less than one year’s supply of office space now available in Central London 0

london aerialOffice occupiers are being forced to search further afield from traditional London commercial property centres as the vacancy rate of office space in Central London falls to a 15 year low. According to research from BNP Paribas Real Estate, at just 4.68 percent of total stock, the level of supply during the third quarter of the year was just 10.29m sq ft; equivalent to less than one years’ supply at current levels. Take-up to the end of September reached 10.78m sq ft, 18 percent above the long term trend, whilst the investment volume of £11.91bn is 28 percent ahead of the average. The West End’s office market was boosted by several large transactions involving Media Tech firms and take-up in Q3 2015 reached 1m sq ft, making the third quarter the busiest so far in 2015. The City is still attracting media tech companies, but there’s been a resurgence in traditional City occupiers from the professional sector.

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Multi office occupiers in the City of London could face millions more in taxes

Multi office occupiers in the City of London could face millions more in taxes 0

Commuters walking into the central financial business district of London's DocklandsMulti office occupiers in the City of London could face an additional tax bill of an estimated £720million thanks to the recent Woolway v Mazars Supreme Court decision, which could allow the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to assess business rates on a floor by floor rather than the entire area a company occupies, Cluttons has warned. Currently the VOA applies an allowance, or discount in layman’s terms, on substantial accommodation occupied over several floors in a building, subject to the size and specification of areas occupied. Within the Square Mile allowances starts from 70,000 sq ft for Grade A office space, 50,000 sq ft for Grade B and 21,000 sq ft for basic or poor accommodation. However, the Supreme Court’s decision, which contradicts previous case law and the VOA’s current policy, could mean businesses may lose any size allowance on their existing rating assessments.

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Small businesses vital for cities, but London SMEs struggle with property costs

Small businesses vital for cities, but London SMEs struggle with property costs 0

London Technology WeekTwo new surveys demonstrate that while small firms in creative sectors are essential for the economic success of the UK’s cities, many small businesses are struggling to find appropriate and well-priced office space in London and are now calling on the incoming new Mayor of London to address the issue as a matter of  urgency. While a report  from the Centre for Cities shows how small businesses in the creative, professional and digital sectors drive job growth, productivity and average wages in ten key UK cities, the study by the Federation of Small Businesses claims that the cost of commercial property remains one of the most pressing concerns for many SMEs based in London. The FSB study also found that the cost of living in London was also a concern for small employers in the capital, with many claiming it makes it incredibly hard to attract and retain employees.

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Productivity myths + Gen Y shun London + Wellness & Work

Productivity myths + Gen Y shun London + Wellness & Work 0

Insight_twitter_logo_2In this week’s issue; Mark Eltringham says when it comes to productivity, not everything at work is a motivator and lists five ways your colleagues might be driving you mad. Researchers say that green cities could result in global savings in the trillions; the allure of London for Generation Y appears to be fading; and business leaders in the Capital are concerned about retaining employees and improving the infrastructure. The number of people working excessive hours in the UK increases by 15 per cent since 2010; US workers admit that that when they need to get important work done, they avoid the office completely; and wellness policies are overlooking the effects of the workplace on health. Check out our new events page, subscribe for free quarterly issues of Work&Place and weekly news here., You can follow us on Twitter and join our LinkedIn Group to discuss these and other stories.

London’s allure for Millennials is less than it was, claims report

London’s allure for Millennials is less than it was, claims report 0

MillennialsThe allure of London for Generation Y appears to be fading,  according to a new report from Lloyds Commercial Banking. According to the study of 200 Millennials and 400 SMEs, the most talked about Generation appears increasingly happy to work for a small firm, wherever they are located. The survey claims that relocating to London is not on the agenda for half (51 percent) of Millennials, who would be happy to move anywhere for the right job. Over a third (35 percent) don’t want to move away from home, while less than a tenth (eight percent) insist they will only work in the capital – which the report claims is good news for SMEs located outside of London (assuming they want to employ Millennials in the first place, obviously). According to the report, location ranked seventh on the list of factors that would attract Millennials to a business.

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