Call for fees review
The Local Government Association has called for a review of planning fees in the autumn spending review after finding that councils spent £450m on them over the past three years.
It wants the government to allow councils to set their own fees, arguing that the current system is diverting funds from services.
Amazon opens first book shop
Amazon has opened its first physical book shop in Seattle, Washington.
Dubbed a “physical extension” of the website, the 5,500 sq ft shop will stock 5,000 titles.
England ‘needs 1.5m homes’
England needs to build 1.5m homes in the next five years to keep up with demand, the Town and Country Planning Association has forecast.
This equates to a rate of 312,000 a year, more than double the current rate of delivery.
London remains top for hotels
For the second year running, London has been voted the most attractive hotel investment destination in Europe, according to a survey by Deloitte.
Barcelona and Madrid came joint second, followed by Amsterdam.
RBC signs at 100 Bishopsgate
Royal Bank of Canada has signed a prelet with Brookfield Property Partners to lease 250,000 sq ft at 100 Bishopsgate, EC3.
It will occupy the lower seven floors on a 25-year lease.
Quoting rents are £65 per sq ft. Knight Frank and GM Real Estate are letting agents; JLL acted for RBC.
New director for Cain Hoy
Cain Hoy Enterprises has hired Oxford Properties’ UK managing director, Richard Pilkington, as its managing director.
Cain Hoy has also appointed Tanja Ennsgraber from LaSalle Investment Management as associate director.
