MORNING NEWS: Real estate ready for change as polls open

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. With polls opening in the general election, here are some reminders of what’s to play for from the perspective of the real estate industry and built environment, including initial thoughts from sector leaders from that rainy May afternoon on which Rishi Sunak named the date; the importance of this week’s winning party tackling the housing crisis head-on; an insight into what the likely Labour landslide will mean for planning reform; and, just in case you’re still making up your mind where to put that X on your way to the voting station, a recap of the main parties’ promises around real estate from their manifestos.  NewRiver REIT has bought Ellandi Management, ramping up its capital partnerships business and bringing its total assets under management to around £2bn. The combined capital partnership business will have AUM of about £1.5bn across a portfolio of 21 shopping centres and 18 retail parks. Ellandi co-founders and owners Morgan Garfield and Mark Robinson will join NewRiver as head of capital partnerships and head of regeneration. Office take-up in the City of London has risen by 10% compared to a year ago, with Savills saying the market has shown “positive progress”. The agency said almost 2.8m sq ft of office space was leased in the Square Mile during the first half of the year, a 10% increase year-on-year and a fifth higher than the five-year average. Insurance and financial services tenants led the way, accounting for more than a third of take-up. Second-quarter take-up stood at 1.62m sq ft, a rise of 16% year-on-year and 38% quarter-on-quarter.  But as a raft of office owners and occupiers force the City of London Corporation to push back a vote on what would be the Square Mile’s tallest tower, EG editor Samantha McClary asks whether corporate nimbyism could be development’s new plague? All of the news from EG, plus a selection of headlines from the nationals:NewRiver REIT acquires Ellandi ManagementGPE hunts for deals during disruptionReviews push rents 7.8% higher at AssuraManchester dealmaker eyes an end to uncertaintyCan ‘core to floor’ move the dial in a polarised office market?City of London office take-up shows ‘positive progress’Real estate urges policy overhaul as UK heads to pollsCould corporate nimbyism be development’s new plague?Meet the EG Future Leaders 2024Prologis adds new occupier to Kettering logistics parkLiverpool’s former Taskers site hits the marketBNP Paribas REIM reshuffles top team in EuropeThe Ivy to open in Liverpool’s former Bank of England buildingHartwell lands first letting for new Oxfordshire labCorporate nimbys shaft City tower voteUK supply of co-living homes to triple within the next three yearsEx-MAPP and CBRE director appointed to grow Cluttons’ commercial armAviva Investors buys £25m Reading retail parkProperty outflows on the rise againCBRE hires loan star from Lone StarWhy more are making the great move north (£)NHS leader calls for partnership with private sector to build new hospitalsDragon’s camera chain Jessops faces closure over unpaid tax (£) Tories ‘damaged’ life sciences, minister told AstraZeneca (£)