Month: June 2025
FCA and Treasury Set to Reform Real Estate Fund Rules, Removing Barrier to Independent Valuations
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and HM Treasury have announced plans to reform the regulatory framework governing London-listed real estate funds, aiming to streamline overlapping rules and address long-standing structural issues. A key element of the reform is the removal of external valuers’ unlimited liability, a change expected to significantly improve the integrity and functionality…
From Forum to Framework: Regionalisation and the Next Chapter in UK Real Estate
Regionalisation is rapidly emerging as a defining force in the transformation of the UK’s urban landscape. This year’s UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds reinforced this shift, attracting over 16,500 delegates from across the UK and abroad. The event made it clear that devolved powers are enabling regions to accelerate investment,…
UK Real Estate Sector Aligns to Support Reform of Valuer Liability Under AIFMD
The UK real estate investment industry has unified behind a significant regulatory reform proposal: the removal of unlimited liability for external fund valuers under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). This issue has become a central focus in the UK Treasury and Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) consultations on updating the country’s post-Brexit AIFMD regime,…
Government Launches AI Tool to Modernize UK’s Planning System
In a significant step toward modernising the UK’s housing and infrastructure landscape, the Government has unveiled Extract, a new AI-powered tool designed to transform the country’s outdated planning system. Announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer during London Tech Week, the tool promises to speed up planning permission processes and reduce delays that have long frustrated…
Orbex to Provide Important Update on Sutherland Spaceport Project
Orbex has invited the local community to attend a public meeting on Monday, June 16 at 7 pm at the Kyle Centre in Tongue to share the latest developments regarding the paused Sutherland Spaceport project. In December, Orbex announced it would pause construction at the A’ Mhoine site near Tongue, choosing instead to launch initial…
Blackstone’s £470m Takeover of Warehouse REIT Signals a Strategic Shift in UK Logistics Property
Blackstone has reached an agreement to acquire Warehouse REIT for £470 million, offering shareholders 110.6p per share. Although this offer is lower than some previous bids, Warehouse REIT’s board has welcomed the proposal, seeing it as a fair reflection of the company’s value given the current market environment. The commercial real estate sector, particularly in…
BFI’s New Report Charts a Responsible Path for AI in UK Film and TV
The British Film Institute (BFI) has released an important new report, AI in the Screen Sector: Perspectives and Paths Forward, offering nine thoughtful recommendations to help the UK’s film and television industry harness artificial intelligence responsibly. As AI tools increasingly shape content creation, the BFI aims to ensure these technologies become a positive force supporting…
North Ockendon: Where Technology Meets the Green Belt Debate
In the quiet village of North Ockendon, at the very edge of Greater London, a heated planning debate is unfolding. What was once peaceful farmland, home to wildlife like badgers and rare birds, may soon be transformed into one of Europe’s largest data centres. Havering Council, together with developer Digital Reef, has put forward plans…
UK Housing Market Surges as Stamp Duty Changes Drive Buyer Rush
The UK housing market saw a remarkable surge in activity during the first quarter of 2025, fueled by a temporary stamp duty holiday set to expire at the end of March. This tax relief, which increased the threshold before stamp duty applied, prompted many buyers, especially first-time purchasers, to accelerate their home purchases. In March…
Unlocking England’s Real Estate with Cryptocurrency Innovation
Cryptocurrency is steadily transforming England’s residential and commercial real estate markets in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Today, buyers and investors are increasingly turning to digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum to complete property transactions. By using blockchain technology and smart contracts, the traditionally slow and complex process of buying and…