Estates Gazette’s must reads: 19-23 May

Here’s a wrap-up of some of the top stories on Estates Gazette from the past week. Lambeth Council has reapproved planning permission for a series of controversial music festivals in Brockwell Park as campaign group Protect Brockwell Park says it is starting more legal action.Lambeth approves Brockwell Park festivals as more litigation looms Pioneer Group is on a tear turning former retail sites into life sciences real estate. Subjit Jassy told Estates Gazette about the lessons the team has learnt so far.Pioneer’s lessons from a retail-to-labs rush Vita Group is searching for a partner to help accelerate the build-to-rent element of its Goods Station development in Birmingham city centre. Savills has been appointed to lead the search following the recent granting of detailed planning permission on the former Axis site on Holliday Street.Vita Group on hunt for Birmingham BTR partner A joint venture between Woodbourne Group, Bruntwood SciTech, Aston University, Birmingham City University and Birmingham City Council has launched Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, a 518.9-acre innovation district. Over the next 20 years, the partners are set to unlock £4bn in private sector investment to deliver 3.6m sq ft of commercial space focused on life sciences, AI and advanced manufacturing. Brum unlocks £4bn innovation hub Greystar and Henderson Park’s joint venture has pulled its Ten Degrees tower in Croydon, south London, off the market. The duo had put the 456-home scheme up for sale, alongside Equipment Works in Walthamstow, E17, for offers of more than £325m for the pair in March 2024. Greystar JV pulls Croydon BTR tower from market Other stories not to miss: The UKREiiF panel that had more than food for thoughtBill Post: The joint venture putting the King in danger from tumbleweed land dealsCluttons’ John Gravett on heritage and hungerPinterest eyes Fitzrovia office for London HQShaftesbury Capital boasts ‘strong demand’ with £11.3m in new leasesRayner ‘trusts’ The Great North to lead the wayUKREiiF: Birmingham seeking partners for Digbeth regen plansGPE upgrades forecasts amid strong lettings and ‘enviable’ development pipelineLogicor strikes largest industrial letting in the NorthEnvironmentalists slam government’s planning bill Image © Vita Group