At the Landed x LSH breakfast panel during UKREiiF, industry experts gathered to dissect the pressing issues facing the UK residential development market. From escalating build costs and strategic landowner legacy planning to severe water infrastructure capacity limits and housing association targets, the panel highlights why cross-sector collaboration is the ultimate tool to unlock stalled sites.

The Department for Education’s (DfE) updated nonstatutory guidance on school land transactions has major procedural and legal implications for local authorities. From stricter consent discipline and rigid "nil-value" principles to the heightened scrutiny surrounding playing field disposals, councils must adjust to longer transaction lead times. Amanda Timcke breaks down why early legal alignment is vital to navigating these sharpened risk points without stalling key developme

Transforming underutilized town centre real estate into thriving community spaces requires deeper collaboration between local authorities and grassroots groups. Drawing on real-world case studies from Sheffield, Chichester, and the Wirral, Bex Trevalyan from Platform Places explores how dedicated council roles, adapted grant cashflow models, and cross-departmental site visits can shift internal legal and finance mindsets to replace risk avoidance with shared community value.

Despite constant criticism from rating agents, trade bodies, and politicians, the business rates system remains a remarkably efficient revenue-generating tool for local government. Chris Grose, Director in the Hartnell Taylor Cook Business Rates Team and Junior Vice President of the IRRV, evaluates the main arguments raised by dissenters. Examining tax multipliers, historic rental valuation lags, and empty property rates burdening landlords, he outlines why radical overhauls

A professional corporate headshot of a man with short grey-and-brown hair, captured from the chest up. He is facing the camera directly with a calm and welcoming expression. He is wearing a dark grey or black pinstripe suit jacket, a light blue collared dress shirt, and a vibrant red tie adorned with a subtle dark pattern. The entire photograph is set against a seamless, solid white backdrop.

The "Freemen-on-the-Land" (FoTL) movement presents a growing challenge for local authorities, complicating straightforward asset management and debt recovery with pseudo-law arguments rooted in the "sovereign citizen" movement. High Court Enforcement Officer David Asker outlines the core beliefs of these groups—such as claims of immunity from statute law and demands for "wet-ink" signatures. Discover practical legal frameworks, the operational advantages of securing a writ of

Property asset management systems serve as the operational backbone for local authority estates teams managing highly complex public portfolios. While the market has heavily standardized around a few key software providers, a critical benchmark survey delivered by Remit Consulting and ACES reveals significant gaps in how these platforms are monitored. Discover data-driven insights on heavy workloads, weak post-implementation data auditing, and how Local Government Reorganisat

Despite experiencing a modest 0.7% valuation correction following structural changes like the Autumn Budget's Inheritance Tax reforms, the Carter Jonas hypothetical 'Model Estate' highlights the long-term power of asset diversification. Sophie Davidson reviews the 2025/2026 performance across let farms, residential, and commercial portfolios, showing how a standout 46.9% increase in renewable energy assets helped cushion broader pricing adjustments.

Can commercial property management be used as a practical lever for health equity? Four Master of Planning students from Newcastle University explore this question by applying a custom Social-Value Quality Index (SVQI) to two contrasting local high streets. Their findings reveal that market-led property management alone is insufficient to support community resilience. Instead, local authorities must shift toward active, demographic-led stewardship to transform high streets in

Unexpected building defects uncovered during a buyer’s due diligence remain a primary cause of stalled or collapsed commercial property deals. Andrea Jutrzenka explains how a proactive vendor survey shifts the balance of a transaction. By identifying compliance, lifecycle, and structural issues before marketing begins, sellers can establish defensible pricing, maintain control, and accelerate the sales process.

Historic rights like rentcharges and tithes may seem like remnants of the past, but they can still complicate modern land sales and developments. From draconian remedies under s121 of the Law of Property Act 1925 to recent 2024 reforms, understanding these legal interests is essential for landowners, developers, and surveyors to ensure a smooth completion.

Recent warnings from the Building Safety Regulator and RICS have put transfer slabs under the spotlight. While no failures have been recorded, concerns regarding "punching shear" and a lack of consistent design methodology mean building owners and surveyors must act to identify and assess these structural elements.

The Building Safety Act is the most significant suite of improvements to fire and safety regulations in living memory. From the "golden thread" of information to the new Gateway approval process, Watts Group explores how the industry is shifting toward long-term accountability and better buildings

Local Government Reform often focuses on finance and staffing, but sidelining property professionals early on is a critical mistake. Discover why property experts are the foundational strategic partners needed to turn ambitious unitary authority plans into realistic, financially sound realities.

With residential housing delivery at its lowest point in years and a "crisis" declared in London, unlocking stalled schemes requires more than just meeting policy. Expert Anneka Lewis explores why early collaboration between developers, Registered Providers, and specialists is essential to bridge the viability gap and ensure schemes are both deliverable and manageable in a challenging 2026 market.

Retired chartered surveyor Simon Eades reflects on five decades of family holidays to Treyarnon Bay in North Cornwall, sharing fond memories of caravan stays and wooden surfboards. He examines the evolution of the area, noting the increase in coastal path development, the impact of second homes, and the transformation of nearby Padstow from a quiet fishing village to a bustling tourist hub.

Mark Chick, a leading UK authority in leasehold reform, explains commonhold—a little-used property ownership form that might gain prominence with the government's Commonhold White Paper. He outlines the pros and cons of this alternative to traditional leasehold, detailing its potential impact on flat owners in England and Wales.