We are glad to learn that the BPF is moving away from discussing the dangerous idea of a new land tax, and is much more likely to take the contrary view expressed in EG (13 January, p65). We hear that it plans to tell the government that the very notion of a planning gain supplement is mad, bad and dangerous.
We are even gladder to hear that the Law Society may well adopt a similar disengaged and dismissive tone when it also responds to the latest set of consultations on PGS by the28 February deadline.
To complete the trio, the CBI is also expected to pour scorn on PGS. Hooray!
The government, however, is still seeking parliamentary approval to spend £50m on the IT kit and staff to oversee a system that would have 300,000 or so planning applications mangled through it each year in order to squeeze out any uplift in land values conferred by the granting of permission.
But some civil servants are already reconciled to the death of PGS, and are considering what could be done with £50m worth of kit designed to process planning applications.
One solution might be to set up a completely new quango which, like the Land Registry, manages the administration and appeals on behalf of local authorities and central government. For that, £50m worth of computers and planning-related software might come in handy.
Bradford councilin Venetian whirl
Bradford council might be getting confused after embarking on its £1.5bn futuristic Venice-style regeneration plan.
The masterplan, unveiled in 2003 by ambitious architect Will Alsop, envisages the West Yorkshire city with the River Aire flowing through public squares while computerised fountains surround the city hall like “walls of water”.
So, with all of the hype, you would have thought that the council knew of Alsop’s talents, or at least who he is. Think again.
Last week, a mysterious parcel arrived at property agent Allsop’s Leeds office, addressed to Mr Will Allsop (sic), Allsop & Co. Inside, it contained a fluorescent yellow, high- visibility jacket stamped with both the architect’s name and emblazoned with the badge of Bradford council. Well, at least they didn’t send it to Venice.
IPD offers globaleasy-rider prize
The IPD has spared no expense in a bid to encourage feedback on its first global index initiative. At last week’s release of the IPD UK Market Results, director Ian Cullen also launched the organisation’s IPD global index for consultation.
He said IPD staff had devised a list of amazing prizes in the hope of encouraging people to respond to the paper.
“A really exciting prize will be offered,” Dr Cullen said. His own suggestion was to provide the winner, who will be picked out of a hat, with a personal pillion ride on his own motorbike around Clerkenwell.
We can’t wait to find out just who the lucky winner is!
Great show Knight Frank, but bad tell
There was no repeat of last year’s slightly dysfunctional slide show at the Knight Frank central London offices breakfast presentation at the Dorchester this week. In fact, it would be hard for any other agent to beat this imaginatively presented and extremely informative view of the market (p26).
But it would have perhaps been better if KF’s head of residential development, Stephan Miles Brown, had not gone quite so far in explaining the common factor behind the fact that the best places for mixed-use development in London were around the main line termini of Paddington, Victoria and King’s Cross.
“Each of them is where you find prostitutes,” he suggested cheerily, before plunging further than we would dare into a jokey attempt to dismiss the remark.
Dreamland – but not the one in Margate
If things aren’t going well in the real market, perhaps you could follow Ailin Graef’s example and try your hand at virtual property.
Graef owns Dreamland, an online continent on which players can simulate a Second Life. Some are so keen for their online persona to live the dream that they pay hard cash for a slice of this pixelated paradise.
Nicknamed the “Rockefeller of Second Life”, the Chinese-born teacher, who lives in a quiet suburb of Frankfurt, has amassed a $1m fortune from her online property business, and appeared on the cover ofUS magazine Business Week.
And now is the perfect time for budding tycoons. Property prices rose by 24% in December, partly because of what could be a temporary, artificial shortage of land!
Beeb says it’sgrim ooop North
When the Beeb’s move to Manchester was mooted back in 2004, its staff magazine Ariel invited someone from BBC Manchester to come to London to persuade people that being ooop-North was not quite as bad as they imagine it to be.
But prejudice has ensued, much to the offence of the Beeb’s future neighbours. It seems Ariel has since circulated articles advising BBC staff on how to cope with life in the North West.
One article, which caused particular offence, briefed readers on how to “speighk proper” with northerners. Hopefully, it included tips on how to dig yourself out of a hole.
Come back withthe living dead
A one-way ticket out of Nice on the Friday that MIPIM finishes in Cannes is now £569.99. For those of you who have yet to buy a ticket, can we give a plug for a charter being organised by MIPIM’s official travel company, dovetail foks.
Earlier this week, it said it still has tickets left at £495 that will whisk you from Gatwick to Cannes on the morning of13 March and bring you back in afternoon of 16 March.
If you can put up with a lot of ebullient property guys on the way out, and a plane filled with 300 of the living dead on the way back, call Jane Wilson on 01322 621921.
Dolly gets thesheep dancing
Australian developer Westfield is very in with the London fashion scene. Last year, it sponsored part of London Fashion Week, hosting a party at the Natural History Museum with entertainment from The Zutons.
This week, it hosted a similar party at Home House in Portman Square, W1, but this time had Radio 1 DJ Sara Cox on the decks. However, despite champagne flowing and fashion people doing what they do best – partying – the only tune that got the fashionistas on the dance floor was Dolly Parton’s 9 To 5.
Environmentally friendly cars are flavour of the month. Nelson Bakewell has an eco Prius, which it uses to show off its green credentials, and Drivers Jonas is keen to point to the many cycle rickshaws it sponsors at MIPIM. Meanwhile, Land Securities has bought aG-Whiz electric car. One LandSec employee, however, found the car could be treated in an environmentally unfriendly way. Alighting from it one windy day, he was shocked see the door blown off onto the bonnet.
