UK Sees Largest Investment Trust Merger with Alliance and Witan Jun 26, 2024 Alliance Trust and Witan Investment have announced their merger, creating a massive £5bn investment trust named Alliance Witan PLC. This merger follows the retirement announcement of Witan CEO Andrew Bell, who served for 14 years. Andrew Ross, Witan’s chairman, discussed the comprehensive review process that led to the merger, noting that the board considered several […] Posted by: David Gilbank Read more
Blackstone Real Estate Acquires Village Hotels Jun 26, 2024 Blackstone Real Estate today announced that funds managed by Blackstone have completed the acquisition of Village Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and developer, from affiliates of KSL Capital Partners, a leading investor in travel and leisure businesses. Village Hotels owns and operates 33 well-located assets in large regional cities and suburban areas across the UK. […] Posted by: David Gilbank Read more
Report reveals £70 billion in additional value could be lost without investments into planning Jun 26, 2024 A report by Public First, commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), revealed that planning reform and increased housing development could miss out on over £70 billion in additional value by not investing in planning. Last week, leaders of the UK’s political parties outlined ambitious housing targets. The RTPI has stated that well-resourced planning […] Posted by: David Gilbank Read more
‘We want this sector to be a forever stable, evergreen platform’ – examining the future of the purpose-built student accommodation market at UKREiiF 2024 Jun 25, 2024 By Daniel Halstead, Real Estate Partner at Shoosmiths Despite the difficult operating conditions of recent years, the UK’s purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) market continues to demonstrate its resilience. Investment into the sector resurged in Q1 2024, with Knight Frank’s UK Student Housing Market Update reporting nearly £750m deployed into PBSA across 21 transactions. The long-term […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Firethorn Trust bolsters Living portfolio with Malmaison York acquisition Jun 25, 2024 Real estate investor, developer and asset manager Firethorn Trust has acquired the boutique hotel asset in an off-market deal. Purchased foran undisclosed sum, the 29,000 sq ft site is occupied by Malmaison under a 35-year lease, with a current rental income of £2.1m per annum. Situated on Rougier Street, within the historic walls of the […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Plans Unveiled for 1,300-Home Estate in Bushey Jun 25, 2024 Trulocom, a care home operator, has proposed a new housing development for a 93-acre site south of Bushey, between Heathbourne Road and the M1. The project is set to feature 1,300 homes, with a majority designed to accommodate elderly individuals or those requiring care services, representing around 70% of the total units. The development plans […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Panattoni to Construct £135m Logistics Hub Near Coventry Jun 25, 2024 Developer Panattoni is set to establish a new logistics park, valued at £135 million, adjacent to the M6, following its recent acquisition of a 47-acre site in Coventry. The project, named Panattoni Park Coventry, is a net-zero speculative development situated north of Coventry city centre in Exhall. The newly acquired land, purchased from L&Q Estates, […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Landsec Acquires Increased Share in Bluewater Shopping Centre for £120m Jun 25, 2024 Landsec has expanded its ownership in the Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent to 66.25% following a £120 million purchase from Singapore’s GIC. This deal occurred on Tuesday and has increased the FTSE 100 firm’s net rental income by £10.3 million per year. Bruce Findlay, head of retail at Landsec, commented, “This transaction underscores our ability […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Kennedy Wilson expands global industrial platform with acquisition of 300,000 sq ft industrial property in West London Jun 25, 2024 Global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson (NYSE: KW) and its partner have acquired Heathrow Estate, a high quality multi-let industrial property in a prime distribution location in West London for $111 million, excluding closing costs. The income producing asset, which comprises a total of approximately 300,000 square feet of modern warehouse and ancillary office […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
Expressions of Interest open for East Bank Urban Village Jun 25, 2024 Hull City Council has launched its strategically important East Bank Urban Village project to market, opening Expressions of Interest (EOI) to secure a lead development partner to deliver the scheme. Following interest in the site being expressed by a range of developers, this is the first formal phase of procurement as the council seeks to […] Posted by: Mya Driver Read more
