Back
News

MORNING NEWS: Planning needs to be less ‘computer says no’

Good morning, this is your AM bulletin with the latest news and views from EG, as well as a few of the best bits from the morning papers.

CLS Holdings’ repeated – and repeatedly thwarted – attempts to change the use of the Artesian building in Aldgate go to the nub of the problem with our planning system, writes EG’s editor. Instead of allowing the building to change from office – where there is no demand – to educational – heaps of demand – the response from Tower Hamlets has been “computer says no”. “I’m not going to suggest that rules are made to be broken, but they should be open to a little tweaking.”

The Economist has taken the top floor of Ergo Real Estate’s Great Charles Street development in Birmingham. The five-year lease will complement the publisher’s existing HQ in London.

And Bruntwood SciTech has secured a £480m green financing package. The funding will support ongoing works at 3 Circle Square in Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor innovation district; further refurbishments and improvements at its life sciences campus at Alderley Park; the third phase of Manchester Science Park’s 1m sq ft masterplan, Greenheys; and the initial development phase for ID Manchester, a £1.7bn innovation district. 

In other news:

St John Ambulance seeks Marylebone office sale

Savills raises £25m at second auction of the year

Derby Council appoints partners for city regeneration plans

South Yorkshire signs deal with Homes England

PPHE promotes Hegarty to co-CEO

One Heritage Group appoints new CFO

Sainsbury’s to ‘right-size’ stores and cut £1bn in costs

Labour to formally drop £28bn green investment pledge

Metro mayors unite for HS2 alternative

Housebuyer demand, sales and prices all rise

Tenant sues Clarion for subletting his Chelsea flat

Up next…