MORNING NEWS: Government to publish NPPF changes

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 government is set to lay out changes to the National Planning Policy Framework later today that it hopes will get “Britain rebuilt”. A consultation over revisions ended in September, with British Property Federation chief executive Melanie Leech saying that the government had recognised “that to drive economic growth and deliver more homes we need a planning system that is fit for purpose”. In a speech last week, prime minister Keir Starmer acknowledged that the government’s plan to build 1.5m homes is “ambitious… a little too ambitious, perhaps”, adding: “We face an almighty challenge to hit these milestones by the end of this parliament.” The chief executive of NewRiver REIT has hailed a new chapter for the company as it closes its takeover of Capital & Regional, but has stressed that a focus on dealmaking has not meant the team took its eye off the ball elsewhere in the business. Allan Lockhart said the period had been “transformational” given the Capital & Regional deal and its acquisition of Ellandi. But he added: “Our focus on M&A activity has not detracted from our operational performance, which has been excellent with another good period of leasing activity.” Martin Moore, former managing director of Prudential Property Investment Managers, has died at the age of 68. Moore was managing director of the firm, now M&G Real Estate, from 1996, moving to become chairman from 2011 until 2013. He worked within the group for almost four decades, joining the estates department of Prudential in 1974. In an interview with EG at the time of his retirement from PRUPIM, Moore said: “The best investment I ever made – the reason I have managed to survive as long as I have – is that I have been able to build and sustain and motivate people around me. I’ve done some great deals but none of them has given me as much delight as to see a team grow and develop and mature. It’s all about the people.” There’s also news on the public’s reaction to the proposed redevelopment of London’s Liverpool Street station; Lendlease’s resi vision at Birmingham’s Smithfield; and plans for a £250m data centre in Salford. All of the news from EG, plus a selection of headlines from the nationals:Government set to reveal NPPF changesNewRiver back in the black in ‘transformational’ periodFormer Prudential real estate lead Martin Moore diesRegional REIT pays down borrowing earlyEDITOR’S COMMENT: 2024: A roller coaster year for real estateHouse prices rise while rental demand takes a step backPublic gives thumbs up to Network Rail’s Liverpool Street plansColliers adds disability to pay gap reportingVistry jv gets nod for an extra 470 homes at Nuneaton’s Top FarmJD Sports flexes muscles with Lakeside and Atria Watford store expansionRedOak secures £31.3m from Maslow for 184-bed PBSA in BristolAll change at the top of CBRE ScotlandLendlease submits resi plans for Birmingham SmithfieldPlans in for £250m Salford data centreMainly for Students: Group thinkingRedevco appoints new UK portfolio directorSelfridges’ Thai co-owner says it overpaid for luxury store portfolio (£)Luxury real estate brokers charged with sex trafficking (£)McWin Capital in talks to buy Gail’s (£)