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This is how many property purchases fall through

Some would-be homeowners are learning the hard way that, even if the ink’s dry on the contract, it doesn’t guarantee they’ll be moving in any time soon.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of homebuyers have had a house purchase fall through after they’ve had an offer accepted, research out today has found.

The survey of 2,000 homebuyers by Which? Mortgage Advisers found that reneging on property deals is leaving people almost £3,000 out of pocket on average.

Sellers suddenly deciding they didn’t actually want to sell after all topped the list of reasons for deals falling through, with 27 per cent of offers being pushed aside for this reason. Meanwhile, 21 per cent of buyers said they were cheekily gazumped, with their seller accepting a higher bid, despite their offer having already been accepted.

However, flaky sellers are not solely responsible for deals coming to an abrupt end. Around one in five deals that didn’t go through were caused by the buyer not being able to follow through because the sale of their own property had fallen flat, while buyers deciding that they’d actually prefer another property instead were responsible for the same proportion of failures (21 per cent).

In light of its findings, Which? is urging those hoping to move up the property ladder to consider whether there’s anything they can do to make the process easier, such as moving in with family or into short-term rented accommodation once their own property is sold to make them a chain-free buyer or opting for new builds which will not be part of an ownership chain.

“No one wants to see their dream property slip through their fingers, particularly if it leaves you out of pocket, but there are steps you can take to ensure you are in the best possible position,” said David Blake at Which? Mortgage Advisers. “The best way to protect yourself from your purchase falling through is to avoid a lengthy chain.

“With the right preparation and research, including getting your finances in order prior to making an offer, you can avoid complicated chains and improve your chances of success.”

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How landlords are softening the blow of buy to let tax changes

The government’s tax changes on second homes has produced a record demand for mortgages through companies in the first quarter of 2016, according to a report released today.

Buy to let lending to limited companies surged to nearly 38,000 in the first quarter, which is more than for the whole of 2014, as landlords incorporate to soften the blow of tax changes on buy to let properties, which include lowering the tax relief on mortgage interest payments from April 2017.

The report, Kent Reliance’s Buy To Let Britain, predicts the number of loans to limited companies will come close to 100,000 this year. Borrowing through a company means investors are taxed at lower corporation tax rates and can offset finance costs against rental income.

Government tax changes are having a knock-on effect for renters, the report said, and “rents are set to rise further.” Four in ten landlords expect to raise rents in the next six months, by 5.6 per cent on average, which represents around £49 for tenants.

Three quarters of the landlords who are increasing the rents cite the impending reduction in mortgage tax relief as their reason for doing so.

London continues to be the hot-spot for the private rented sector, with landlords in the capital taking £20.2bn in rent last year, or 38 per cent of all the rent paid in Great Britain. The city’s private rental sector comprises 1m households, up 6.1 per cent on last year, compared to 5.5 per cent in Great Britain.

Andy Golding, chief executive of OneSavings Bank, said: “The buy to let market now sits firmly in the crosshairs of both politicians and regulators, and we are seeing landlords react. Thousands hurried purchases to beat the stamp duty deadline, and the popularity of limited companies is soaring as investors seek to reduce tax exposure.

“But it is tenants who are feeling the real brunt. Rents are rising, and landlords will increase them further as they pass on the increased cost of running their business.

“Far from supporting tenants, recent intervention will see them bear a heavier tax burden.”

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Property prices in England and Wales fell in May as the market stalled ahead of the EU referendum vote

In May house prices experienced the sharpest drop since November 2011 as the property market was plagued by uncertainty surrounding the EU referendum.

Property values fell by 0.4 per cent in May in England and Wales – the lowest home sales in May for five years – according to data from Your Move and Reeds Rains estate agents.

London house prices were down by 0.3 per cent – or £1,769 – month-on-month; but prices in Slough bucked the trend, soaring by 23.3 per cent year-on-year.

The news comes a day after experts predicted that house prices would fall over the next quarter. The drop follows a surge of buying earlier in the year as buy to let landlords tried to avoid paying the government’s hike on stamp duty, which came in at the beginning of April.

Adrian Gill, director of Your Move and Reeds Rains estate agents, said: “The housing market is holding its breath ahead of the EU referendum and after a rapid sprint at the start of the year.

“In London, house prices have slipped from last month’s record high. This has pushed average property values in the capital back under the £600,000 mark, with the value of a typical home in the city falling to £598,421.”

Buyers in London may well feel sceptical about what constitutes a “typical home in the city”, however, as it recently became clear just how misleading the figure for the London average house price really is.

Source: CityAM

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Plans unveiled for London Elephant & Castle town centre

Property developer Delancey has unveiled plans for the final phase redevelopment of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre area in south London.

Elephant and Castle Town Centre_ROOFTOPS
The plans are part of a wider £3bn regeneration of the area

The central shopping centre scheme and associated redevelopment of the London College of Communication site forms the last part in the £3bn regeneration of the area.

Delancey and Europe’s largest pension fund asset manager, APG, are proposing to build a new ‘town centre’ around the famous shopping centre site.

This will include a 500-audience capacity music venue as well as an integrated campus for the London College of Communication, part of University of the Arts London, and a massive 1,000-seater cinema.

The high-rise plans also include 1,000 new homes, the majority of which will be available to rent managed by Get Living London, the company in charge of the 3,000 homes at the former Athletes’ Village at the Olympic site.

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elephant & castle

The masterplan drawn up by architecture and urban planning practice Allies and Morrison aims to create a town centre destination with a mix of national and independent London based shops, bars and restaurants, and over 100,000 sq ft of  public space and a new Northern Line entrance.

Delancey boss Jamie Ritblat said: “Our ambition is to create a new and improved town centre for Elephant and Castle; one which complements, celebrates and builds upon the existing diversity and vibrancy that this key Zone one location is already so renowned for.”

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Plans go in for £75m Wembley office to resi conversion

Plans to transform Amex House in Wembley have been submitted to Brent Council.

AWP_Full front View
Construction will get started this Autumn

Developer Anthology wants to convert the 1.6 acre site into 195 homes.

Amex House was formerly home of civil engineering contractor Durkin & Sons.

Anthology is hoping to receive planning approval this summer before construction work starts in the Autumn.

A contractor is due to be appointed shortly.

Adam Gaymer, Executive Director of Anthology, said: “We are delighted to have submitted our proposal for this site.

“We believe Wembley is one of the most promising regeneration areas in London and we are hugely excited to have a hand in its continued development.

“Amex House which will be known as ‘Anthology Wembley Parade’ forms part of our growing London portfolio and reflects our policy of investing in prime regeneration sites.

“We look forward to enhancing communities and unlocking the potential of other sites around London in the near future.”

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Bellway to start second major Nine Elms London scheme

A joint venture between Bellway Homes and housing association L&Q is pressing ahead with a major 350-home scheme at the Nine Elms site in London.

46 Ponton Road CGI - Bellway and L&Q (2)
Planning go-ahead for 46 Ponton Road housing project

The joint developers plan to start construction this autumn, to launch the new homes in 2017, after just gaining planning.

Their decision to go-ahead with what will be Bellway’s second major scheme on the vast site comes as several other major planned prime flat schemes for the area have gone on hold over jitters about demand for luxury flats in the capital.

Bellway’s and L&Q’s development at 46 Ponton Road, a central site in the 195 hectare Nine Elms masterplan, includes 357 quality one, two and three bedroom apartments, available to purchase through private sale or shared ownership.

Some commercial space will be built as part of the plans, bringing new retail and lifestyle amenities to the area for local residents.

The latest planned blocks represent a significant urban extension to the 510 homes being built by Bellway at its current development The Residence, which will overlook the American Embassy.

The first flats from the scheme will be launched onto the market in the Autumn.

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Flats in main 19-storey tower block at The Residence to launch this autumn as Bellway starts second scheme

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Go-ahead for Berkeley 3,750-home London gasworks scheme

Berkeley has gained outline planning to build 3,750 homes at the former Southall Gasworks site in West London.

Southall Waterside
Masterplan for former National Grid Property site with first phase highlighted

The London Borough of Ealing nodded through the 88-acre scheme, known as Southall Waterside, which weighs in as West London’s most ambitious regeneration scheme.

Berkeley said it plans to start significant enabling works early this year with the full mixed-use scheme delivered in several phases over 25 years.

Southall Waterside

The project will be delivered by Berkeley’s St James business, which has been advised by Mace on the site-wide construction management plan.

A sales launch for the first 600-home phase of development is scheduled for autumn 2016. Berkeley also plans up to 500,000 sq ft of commercial space, a two-form entry primary school and a health centre. 

The revised masterplan submitted after buying the site from National Grid Property will see over half the site dedicated to open space, which includes a substantial amount of landscaped public parkland, leisure and play spaces, and piazzas.

Sean Ellis, Executive Director, Berkeley Group said: “These gasworks closed almost 50 years ago, so approval of the Southall Waterside masterplan marks the start of an exciting new future for this 88 acre site.

“When 80% of new homes currently planned for the capital are in just three East London boroughs, this provides some welcome balance.”  

Southall Waterside first phase

Southall Waterside

Berkeley Group is now preparing a detailed planning application for Phase A of the development, which is expected to be submitted shortly. 

Plans for the first phase include 618 new homes, of which 186 are designated affordable. It also features roads, parking, landscaping and access to public realm.

The homes will be positioned to the scheme’s north-east corner and benefit from a southern aspect that overlooks the landscaped open space and water features of the Central Park.

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Pipeline of luxury London flats hits record high

More than 35,000 homes costing £1million+ are due to be constructed over the next ten years in London.

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Schemes like Battersea are flooding the market with luxury flats

Consultant Arcadis estimates a total sales value of £77bn for these homes which are mainly flats and apartments.

The huge pipeline will intensify fears of an oversupply of “prime” properties in the capital.

The total floor space of planned prime homes in the capital is more than 40 million square feet – far greater than the area of the whole of the City of London (30.7 million sq.ft).

Arcadis identified 196 across the capital with the number of homes planned at 35,055.

And the consultant warned some of the luxury resi schemes will have to be “repositioned” into commercial jobs or even cheaper homes as demand at the top end softens.

Mark Cleverly, Arcadis head of commercial development, said: “Since around 2009, the value of prime residential property in central London has seen dramatic rises, making it one of the hottest markets in recent memory.

“That said, things are changing.

“Land, materials and labour are growing in price, meaning the costs involved in actually building these homes is growing significantly.

“This, coupled with a recent gradual easing off of buyer demand could affect margins and mean investors opt to convert their developments to target the more buoyant office and commercial markets.

“With no obvious end in sight to the unpredictability of the global economy this approach could soon become the norm.”

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Barratt to build 1000 homes at West London Nestle site

Industrial estate developer SEGRO has selected Barratt London to deliver over 1,000 homes on the former Nestle plant in Hayes, West London.

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Former coffee and chocolate factory site in West London

The site will also be developed with around 230,000 sq. ft. of modern industrial and urban logistics warehouses

Both partners will work with Hillingdon Council now to obtain planning consent for the major scheme at the former coffee and chocolate factory site.

SEGRO bought the 30-acre site in January in 2015 as part of its strategy to provide high quality urban warehousing to meet the growing demand from occupiers.

Alastair Baird, Barratt London’s Regional Managing Director said: “This year we are set to complete around 2,000 new homes across London and this agreement with SEGRO will boost our pipeline of future projects.

“It demonstrates that our technical capability in delivering complex schemes continues to provide us with a competitive advantage in London.

“Working with SEGRO, we will draw on our experience to design and build a great place to live and work on this important regeneration site in Hayes.”

The site is in a prime location for business and residents located next to the Hayes and Harlington railway station which will become a Crossrail station in 2019. 

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2017 start date for London £400m Vauxhall Square scheme

Developer CLS has confirmed it hopes to start enabling works next year on the first phase of its £400m London twin-tower Vauxhall Square scheme.

Vauxhall Square
Vauxhall Square includes 454 apartments in two 50-storey towers

The firm said the residential-led scheme, which obtained revised planning consent last month to replace a four-star hotel for more office space, would be delivered in two phases with a residential specialist brought in to deliver the luxury flats element.

Sten Mortstedt, Executive Chairman of CLS, said: “Our current intention is for the main site to be developed in two phases, the first of which could start in 2017 with the demolition of some existing buildings and the construction of a three storey basement, including 188,370 sq ft of Grade A offices and a residential tower.

“We are working towards focusing on the commercial part of the scheme in which we have an established track record, and are considering finding a specialist partner for the development of the residential element.”

The amended 1.6m sq ft scheme will now comprise 454 apartments in two 50-storey towers and 124 affordable apartments, 353,300 sq ft of offices, a 186-suite hotel, shops, a multi-screen cinema and a hostel.

The flagship site within the Nine Elms development area also contains a car park site that was sold to specialist developer and operator of student accommodation, Urbanest last year.

This has planning consent for a 454-bed, 30 storey student tower where work is expected to begin on the site later this year.

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