Search Results for: london

Updated: nearly all London boroughs seek exemption from office conversion plan

City-of-London

Earlier, we reported that London’s Mayor Boris Johnson openly believes that London’s key business districts should be exempt from proposals to allow offices to be turned into homes without planning permission. Now a report emerges from CBRE that all but a handful of London’s boroughs are to seek to make themselves exempt from the rules.  According to the research, only Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Croydon and Kingston are unlikely to seek an exemption. Four other boroughs are discussing plans with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the remaining 25 are set to apply to make themselves exempt.

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London’s West End confirmed as world’s most expensive office location

C4G1T6A new report from Cushman and Wakefield has confirmed the results of an earlier study from DTZ that London’s West End is the world’s most expensive office location. According to the property services firm the West End has overtaken Hong Kong’s central business district for the first time since 2008 because of rent increases of 2 per cent fuelled by a shortage of appropriate space. According to the report occupiers now pay as much as £169 per square foot to occupy the best West End office space including rent, service charges and taxes. rents went up around the world by an average of 3 per cent, driven by rapidly growing markets, especially in South America.

Consolidation of state properties boosts London economy by £3.5bn

Whitehall,_LondonAccording to a new report from property consultancy Knight Frank into the impact of the Government’s policy of consolidating and improving the management of the public sector estate in London, the economy has been boosted by as much as £3.5 billion. The study has reviewed the results of the work carried out by the Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group at 16 properties in central London including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for International Development, the Land Registry and the Crown Prosecution Service. Many of these sites were seen as dated and have now been redeveloped for use by other organisations. (more…)

Final approval given to scheme for London’s ‘Scalpel’ tower

ScalpelThe Greater London Authority (GLA) has published its Stage 2 Report into the building nicknamed ‘The Scalpel’ – but more properly described as the 38-storey headquarters for US insurance business W. R. Berkley Corporation. The Report approves the scheme for the building in Lime Street which was granted planning consent 3 weeks ago and will incorporate over 500,000 sq ft of commercial space. The Tower, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox will create 7,700 sq ft of new public space at street level, over 1,000 sq ft of retail space and a new 10,000 sq ft restaurant below-ground. The development is funded by W. R. Berkley, who will occupy around a quarter of the intended office space.

Tech and media firms drive demand for London offices

Tech City

The UK’s thriving technology and media sectors are driving demand for office space in London, creating hotspots of businesses and talent according to a new report published yesterday by property services provider Colliers International. However a shortage of supply means that not only are tech and media firms driving up rents and supplanting traditional businesses, many are adopting more ‘institutional-style’ office spaces then using design and refurbishment to put their own stamp on them.

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London’s West End now most expensive office location in World

C4G1T6London’s West End has overtaken Hong Kong’s Central district as the world’s costliest office location according to a new report from property consultancy DTZ.  The annual occupancy cost per workstation in the West End was stable last year at $23,500 (£14,900) but moved from fifth to gain top spot as costs in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Dubai and  Paris fell. Three weeks ago we reported that firms were migrating from the West End to London districts such as Clerkenwell and Shoreditch to take advantage of lower costs and pools of talent in new industries.  (more…)

Google completes search for London HQ site

US based technology giant Google has completed the long expected £1bn property deal for a brownfield site in the King’s Cross Regeneration Area in London. The 2.4 acre site is located between King’s Cross and St Pancras rail stations and will be used for the development of an up to 11 storey complex which is due to be complete during 2016. Google will rationalise its two existing London locations into the new office and workplace design aficionados will be expecting great things from a firm that is renowned for its original approach, most recently at its Covent Garden offices designed by Penson.

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City of London grants planning permission for ‘The Scalpel’

No new building ever really deserves to be called ‘landmark’ unless it has acquired a nickname while still on the drawing board. That is why we can be assured that we will be hearing a lot more about the Kohn Pedersen Fox designed 38 storey HQ for US insurer WS Berkeley which has just been granted planning consent and already rejoices in the moniker ‘The Scalpel’. The new facility will provide over 500,000 sq ft of commercial space over 35 floors in Lime Street, East London. (more…)

Chance to visit London landmark The Crystal

ft_view15_72dpi

The Crystal, which was built by Siemens to showcase sustainable design and construction, is the venue for a couple of major events in February.  Achieving BREEAM Outstanding, the Crystal opened at Royal Victoria Docks in London last September to provide a hub for discussions and dialogues about how to create a sustainable urban future. The Crystal will also be home to the Workplace Futures 2013 conference, organised by i-fm.net on the 12 February, and will include an opportunity for delegates to attend the building’s interactive sustainable exhibition prior to an evening networking session. (more…)

London companies heading off to the East

Hello to all this

Hello to all this

…East London that is. According to property consultants Cushman & Wakefield we are seeing a net migration of companies away from their West End heartland towards the supposedly more creative and tech-focussed districts of Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and King’s Cross.  The firm reports that the take-up of West End office space fell by around a quarter to 2.5m sq ft in 2012.

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Flexible office market in EMEA enters new phase of growth

Flexible office market in EMEA enters new phase of growth

The flexible office market across Europe, the Middle East and Africa is shifting into a new phase, according to new data from Colliers. The region’s flex workspace footprint grew by more than 348,000 square metres in 2024, despite difficult economic conditions and reduced capital availability. The firm’s Flexpansion: The Architecture of Agility report charts a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase in flexible space across 46 EMEA markets. The total now stands at 8.3 million square metres. (more…)

WORKS Magazine Issue 14 is here for you

WORKS Magazine Issue 14 is here for you

The new issue of WORKS magazine looks at a sector that is reaching equilibrium after five years of uncertaintyThe new issue of WORKS magazine looks at a sector that is reaching equilibrium after five years of uncertainty. We visit exciting new projects in London, Manchester and Zurich; profile a man whose way of talking about the workplace we all echo, even those of us who have never read his work; take a look at the new generation of acoustic meeting rooms and pods; catch up with old friends to discuss the market; host a round table to ask if designers still get excited about office furniture; and there are all the features, comment and news you could ever need.