The Built Asset Blog

Your hub for the latest news and views in the world of Built Assets

You are here: EC Harris > Skip Navigation LinksBlogs > November 2011

November 2011

30 Nov
12:41

Autumn Statement: Creating 21st Century Infrastructure at Last

Submitted by Brian Fitzpatrick, EC Harris, Head of Highways

So Mr Osborne has announced that £20bn of investment will be made by British pension funds to modernise the country's infrastructure.  35 new road and rail schemes will be brought forward including some potentially controversial schemes such as the Silvertown/Woolwich and Lower Thames Crossings.  To facilitate this investment, and to shorten timescales, planning rules and regulations could be relaxed.  And where did the £20bn figure come from?  Many... Read More

1 Comment (8 Ratings)
Autumn Statement: Creating 21st Century Infrastructure at Last
29 Nov
15:15

Quick Wins to Arrest UK Infrastructure Deficit

Submitted by Mark Prior, EC Harris, Head of Transportation

With an overall £30bn set aside for national infrastructure investment, including 35 new road and rail projects, the government can ill-afford to get wrong any attempts it makes to arrest the UK’s so-called ‘infrastructure deficit’.  From a transport perspective the need for ‘quick wins’ has seen the government look more favourably upon highways projects, for not only do they deliver rapid economic benefits and create additional jobs, they also... Read More

1 Comment (4 Ratings)
Quick Wins to Arrest UK Infrastructure Deficit
29 Nov
15:01

The Autumn Statement - Plan A+

Submitted by Graham Kean, EC Harris, Head of Public

The Autumn Statement – Plan A+ With the OECD predicting that the UK will shortly slide back into recession; the ongoing eurozone crisis; and the OBR’s grim growth forecasts, the Chancellor had little choice but to try and stimulate the economy in his Autumn Statement. Osborne announced £30bn would be set aside within the National Infrastructure Programme to try and kick-start economic growth through ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure programmes.  His plans... Read More

0 Comments (1 Rating)
The Autumn Statement - Plan A+
21 Nov
14:50

The Housing Strategy - Solid Foundations?

Submitted by Simon Rawlinson, EC Harris, Head of Strategic Research

This is a long term strategy but most of the headline-grabbing proposals feel a bit short term.  Encouragingly, many of the proposals, freeing up public sector land, New Homes bonus, renegotiated s106 agreements and the land auction process can be traced back to the 2004 Barker Review, which focused on the need to increase the supply of housing in order to maintain long term affordability. Given the current state of the housing market, the proposal that will get the greatest coverage... Read More

0 Comments (3 Ratings)
The Housing Strategy - Solid Foundations?
16 Nov
16:47

The Future of the Office: Nimble and niche?

Submitted by Simon Rawlinson, EC Harris, Head of Strategic Research

The world moves much faster than the length of a typical office lease. Considering the speed of innovation in the workplace, it is remarkable that the office model remains recognisable and that it’s been able to successfully accommodate the widespread adoption of modern, flexible working. For investors in office development, forces of change are a threat. We can be absolutely confident that the rate of change will accelerate, but can we predict what the changes will be? Can forward... Read More

0 Comments (2 Ratings)
The Future of the Office: Nimble and niche?
16 Nov
06:19

Investing in Gulf Education – moving beyond the crossroad

Submitted by Andrew Jeffery, EC Harris, Location Leader, UAE

At the recent BFE MENA conference in Abu Dhabi, there was widespread consensus that investment in education was one of the more important elements of the social reform now being demanded across the MENA region. However, whilst all were in agreement that better educating future generations could help to drive economic prosperity, a strange sense of nervousness also pervaded with many delegates concerned that the ongoing turmoil in the global financial markets could threaten the region’s ability... Read More

0 Comments (2 Ratings)
Investing in Gulf Education – moving beyond the crossroad
22 Nov
16:44

EBDOG 2011 – CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION

Submitted by Simon Lucas, EC Harris, Head of Education

These are dynamic times for the education sector and the winter EBDOG (education building and development officers group) conference, recently hosted by Birmingham City Council, highlighted this uncertainty. Anthony Walker, Programme Director at Partnerships for Schools presented on the property data survey and following his speech, the majority of conference discussions focused on condition and the priority schools building programme.  The key points from Anthony’s presentation,... Read More

0 Comments (1 Rating)
EBDOG 2011 – CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION
16 Nov
06:06

10 Key Questions for Schools Considering International Expansion

Submitted by Simon Lucas, EC Harris, Head of Education

10 Key Questions for Schools Considering International Expansion There is a major growth forecast in the development of British International Schools globally, with the market set to double from £9 billion revenue turnover in 2010/11 to £18 billion in 2016/2017. With record applications and lengthy waiting lists in Asia, the Middle East and further afield, many long-standing institutions are looking to establish high-performing schools in emerging economies to take advantage... Read More

0 Comments (1 Rating)
10 Key Questions for Schools Considering International Expansion
2 Nov
14:21

Latest construction figures may provide only short term relief

Submitted by Simon Rawlinson, EC Harris, Head of Strategic Research

Positive growth in the October UK Construction PMI contrasts strongly with this week’s numbers for UK GDP and UK Manufacturing.     I expected Construction PMI figures to fall below 50 during October, as public sector cuts began to bite deeper and growth in the commercial sector proved elusive.  The increase in the PMI to 53.9 is welcome, but probably short term relief.   This week’s GDP data recorded that construction output had fallen by 0.7% during... Read More

0 Comments (0 Ratings)
Latest construction figures may provide only short term relief