EG’s must reads: 22-26 July

Here’s a wrap-up of some of the top stories on EG from the past week. Cushman & Wakefield sits at the top of the EG Radius office leaderboards in the second quarter, after a strong performance across London submarkets helped it transact almost 1.2m sq ft in the capital. Catch up on how other big names in the markets fared here.Deal numbers up as EG Radius reveals most successful agents of Q2Beds beat all other asset classes in investment league Hammerson has sold its share in outlet business Value Retail to L Catterton in a deal that values the business at £1.5bn. Chief executive Rita-Rose Gagné (pictured) said the deal is a “game changer” for the company, telling EG: “We scaled back, but we are scaling back up. The notion was never to make the company smaller, it was to make the company larger and stronger. We just had to go down this path to then grow it back in the right way.”Hammerson offloads Value Retail for £1.5bn‘We scaled back, but now we’re scaling back up,’ says Hammerson bossDisposals hit earnings as Hammerson rebalancesValue Retail deal gives investor’s new UK boss a promising purchase More than 660,000 sq ft of retail space is due to hit the market following the announced closure of all but 54 of Carpetright’s stores, according to exclusive data from EG Radius. The company’s new owner, Tapi, bought the retailer out of insolvency this week and announced it would keep 54 stores and two warehouses.CBRE appointed to sell 239 Carpetright leaseholdsCarpetright collapse to deliver 660,000 sq ft of vacant space to market200 stores close in Carpetright rescue Roger Southam, who sold his residential management firm Chainbow to Savills in 2018, has re-emerged with a new business he hopes will disrupt the lettings and management market. Southam will chair Cohab, a venture with Canadian technology entrepreneur Saveli Kotz. The tech-focused firm charges an all-in lettings and management fee of 6%, versus as much as 20% via other players.Southam returns with new firm to shake up resi The Crown Estate has set aside £1.5bn for investment into the life sciences sector. The estate has formed an exclusive partnership with Oxford Science Enterprises and Pioneer Group under which all future developments acquired by OSE will be delivered through Pioneer and financed by the Crown.Crown Estate forms exclusive life sciences partnershipCrown sets aside £1.5bn for life sciences as it focuses on most valuable growth Other stories you mustn’t miss:Custodian REIT boss: All the rage after AbrdnPHP eyes Irish expansion as UK development slowsOxford R&D schemes at risk amid development charge hikeFate of 280 Montreaux homes in hands of administratorsSouthwark Council: we need the money to maintain momentumBarker: UK housing policy needs ‘coherence, clarity and consistency’Cushman promotes 32 staff across UK and IrelandWhy Northstowe could be the new model town For your listening pleasure from EG Property Podcasts:Dealmaker of the Month: Harry James, The Workplace Co Image © Louise Haywood-Schiefer