EG’s must reads: 11-15 November

Here’s a wrap-up of some of the top stories on EG from the past week. Investor and gold trader Roy Sebag is understood to have seen off competition from the Crown Estate to buy the 226,547 sq ft Clarendon Centre in Oxford (pictured). The shopping centre was put up for sale through CBRE in September this year for around £30m as part of the liquidation of open-ended property fund Lothbury Property Trust.Investor Sebag sees off Crown for Oxford mall The City of London’s highest office tower has recorded the market’s highest rent, as continued rental growth raises hopes that further best-in-class developments will become financially viable. Brazilian bank Banco Master has agreed a lease with AXA IM Alts for the top office floor of 22 Bishopsgate, EC2, for £122 per sq ft.City of London’s highest tower hits highest rent After tough years, the all-important capital markets divisions are back in business at all but one of the big US-listed real estate firms. Across Newmark, CBRE, JLL and Colliers, capital markets revenue for the three months to 30 September was a combined $228.3m (£178m) higher year-on-year. Only Cushman & Wakefield posted a fall.Agency bosses on their $230m capital markets beat To mark Derwent London’s 40th year in business, chief executive Paul Williams gathered colleagues, consultants and occupiers to discuss the capital’s leading position in sustainable development and Derwent’s influence on the city.Derwent at 40: Lessons on succeeding in London The government’s Office for Place is to be closed down and redeployed within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The department was launched to work alongside government, local government, the property industry and communities to understand and promote best practices. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, it was led by chair Nicholas Boys Smith and had launched the search for a chief executive in August.Government to scrap Office for Place Other stories you mustn’t miss: No looking back: Watling Real Estate on life after AYKadans opens up first phase of Tileyard Quarter in King’s CrossFind, buy, repeat: GPE’s £2bn acquisition listBoylan confirmed as Homes England bossMore than money: the urgency of tracking social valueNew strategy and political landscape give Assura healthy resultsTravelodge buys St Paul’s office for hotel conversionAlixPartners nears deal at One Millennium Bridge Image © Farrer Huxley