MORNING NEWS: Ex-CBRE retail head joins new agency

Good morning. Here’s your daily round-up of the latest news and views from EG and a collection of real estate-relevant headlines from the national papers. The former head of UK retail at CBRE, Rhodri Davies, is teaming up with Chris Harris at his newly established company Vedra Group. Davies will join the former John Lewis property director at Vedra following the conclusion of his six months of gardening leave, having left CBRE in September. Vedra was set up in 2023 after Harris quit John Lewis. The firm was established to “fill a gap in the market with genuine understanding of what retailers need”. The firm has recently picked up the mandate to advise the Body Shop on its 113-store portfolio following its recent restructure. The City of London Corporation’s planning and development director has said heritage body opposition to major projects in the Square Mile is “the single biggest risk to the City”. Gwyn Richards was asked on a panel to launch the City Property Association’s Supporting the City’s Economic Growth report for his views on objections from Historic England. He replied: “It’s probably the most significant threat affecting the City in my entire time at the City [Corporation] – the last 15 years plus.” Richards added: “The last thing that we want is a call-in on a major strategic site, which would send shockwaves across the industry. What worries us more is this constant criticism and objections from Historic England that is undermining developer and investor confidence to be able to go to an investment board and say we’re in a good place.” Two former London Legacy Development Corporation employees have launched a placemaking consultancy. Marina Milosev, co-author of the LLDC’s handbook on gender-informed planning, Creating Places that Work for Women and Girls, and Anne Ogundiya, who was the corporation’s head of planning and transformation, started Beyond The Red Line this week. Both left LLDC last week as it formally handed back its planning powers to the four London boroughs with boundaries within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The pair aim to work with developers, local authorities and designers to unlock development sites and create sustainable, vibrant, equitable and desirable places and communities. There’s also news on Custodian Property Income REIT’s acquisition hunt; the departure of Homes England’s director for markets, partners and places, Michael Palin; and a new role for former Grosvenor strategy head Rachel Miller. All of the news from EG, plus a selection of headlines from the nationals: Ex-CBRE retail head joins Harris’s Vedra GroupHeritage objections ‘single biggest risk to the City’, says planning directorFormer LLDC colleagues launch placemaking consultancyHomes England’s director for markets, partners and places to leaveCustodian REIT still hunting for takeover targetsVistry and LLDC team up for Pudding Mill Lane projectEDITOR’S COMMENT: Fixing viability, not planning, is key to deliver on new homes targetsCriterion acquires historic first YMCA buildingDanum buys 120-home Yorkshire siteCanary Wharf bondholders approve refinancingGovernment consults on Energy Performance of Buildings reformGerald Eve strengthens Birmingham team with four new partnersGrosvenor names ex-Knight Frank boss Elliott as UK chairCity restaurant fails in bid to reduce rent arrearsHome REIT receives unsolicited tender offerColliers picks new UK chief executiveMiller joins student housing group to lead investment strategyQuintain completes Wembley Park BTR refiNumber of retail businesses up 6% on pre-pandemic levelOctopus provides £40m funding for three care homesGoldman Sachs’ B&B Hotels opens first UK locationAY appointed to develop Bold Forest Garden Village masterplan frameworkEngineering firms team up in net zero pushBusiness software company signs at 8 BishopsgateMike Ashley’s Frasers and B&M face FTSE 100 relegationWhy London’s property market is stagnating (£)