The Estates Gazette Podcast

Nathan Cross talks to Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) chief executive John Cartwright about the Q4 Investment Quarterly report showing Pooled Property Funds (PPFs) raised £3.2bn of new money in the fourth quarter of 2009.

IPD co-founding director Ian Cullen speaks to Nathan Cross about the latest figures released by IPD. UK commercial property produced a total return of 10% in the fourth quarter of 2009, with "record-breaking" capital growth.

UK fund managers and property analysts believe the commercial property market could have entered a "new mini property-price bubble", according to IPD. Malcolm Hunt, head of UK client services at IPD, said: "If you speak to fund managers and property analysts, there is a swelling of opinion that we possibly have entered a new mini property-price bubble. December saw the largest monthly capital growth in IPD’s 23-year history – at 3.0% - according to the IPD UK Monthly Index.

Intercontinental Hotels Group has laid out its plans for the year ahead saying it is to focus on the expansion of its Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo and Staybrige Suites brands. Andrew Gill, vice president of development at the hotels group, said he expects there to be an upturn in transaction activity during 2010, which will lead to "branding opportunities".

Roger Madelin, chief executive of Argent, said the “big freeze” had not significantly affected progress at King's Cross Central, where the coming months will see substantial progress on the central public square. The King's Cross Central Limited Partnership is working up plans for the first private housing at its £2bn regeneration scheme.

This year will produce the best returns in four years, but capital values could collapse again in 2012, according to King Sturge. Nathan Cross reports from the company’s “Property Predictions 2010” seminar in London today, including interviews with Mark Bourne, joint head of office agency, and
Neville Pritchard, head of investment.

Professional and legal editor Sarah Jackman talks to senior reporter Christian Metcalfe about forthcoming developments in the courts.

They discuss the recent EAT decision in Nicholson v Grainger, which ruled that climate change is a belief that is capable of protection from discrimination under employment law. They also consider the awaited Court of Appeal decisions in Ashmore v Port of London Authority concerning adverse possession of a tidal riverbed, and Land Securities v Fladgate, which concerns an abuse of process.

Martin Morgan, group property director at Tie Rack Retail Group, outlines the company's expansion plans, saying that over the next year it will continue to focus on UK airport business but will remain in the market "looking for opportunities as they arise". Speaking to EG from this year's MAPIC conference in Cannes, Morgan said the retail group had a cautious opening programme for next year.

John Strachan, head of global retail at Cushman & Wakefield, has said that the retail market will remain "cautious" in 2010. Speaking to EG from MAPIC 2009 in Cannes, Strachan said that the sector was facing "at best, a very fragile recovery."

Cadena chairman Paul Whight and directors Richard Gore and Neil Varnham speak to EG reporter Annabel Dixon at this year's MAPIC conference on Cadena's ambitions in the UK out-of-town retail market and their forecasts for market recovery.

EG Focus editor Stacey Meadwell takes a trip on the new high-speed rail link, High Speed 1, from King's Cross St Pancras to Ebbsfleet, Kent, including interviews from Alex King, deputy leader of Kent county council, Mandy Bearne, director of marketing and research at Locate in Kent, and Paul Mussi, partner in the logistics and industrial team at Knight Frank.

EG's Nadia Elghamry talks about the opening of St Davids 2 shopping centre in Cardiff on BBC Radio Wales. Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Wales on 22nd October 2009.

Patrick Clift speaks to Shahid Malik, the Thames Gateway minister, who sets out the government's vision for the Thames Gateway area and explains how developers can be enticed into investing in the scheme given the state of the market.

Paul Norman speaks to Sir Terry Farrell about his vision for the Thames Gateway at the Thames Gateway Forum at London's O2 centre.

Patrick Clift speaks to Sir Bob Kerslake at the Thames Gateway Forum on progress over the last year, the next 12 months, the single conversation and how regeneration bodies must do more with less.

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