Almost exactly a year after Andy Jansons first joined us for the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast, he’s back – and this time he had some key developments to talk about.

Fresh from his acquisitions of two office parks, Andy, managing director of Jansons Property, explained his options for developing The Boulevard at Bracknell (Dell’s former head offices) and Kingsmead Business Park at High Wycombe. Subject to planning he is confident he can find value by redeveloping for industrial or converting to residential use as market sentiment changes.

Andy commented that the combination of poor office take-up and the high cost of refurbishment means that values and yields have plummeted across the Thames Valley secondary business park market, creating opportunities for entrepreneurial developers such as Jansons Property.

He also assessed the commercial property scene in towns in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, including Reading, Maidenhead, Wycombe, Slough, and Newbury.

The discussion concluded on the office market across the region, the industrial scene, and the new Labour Government. NB: References were made by Andy to Article 14 and this should have been Article 4.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Blenheim Palace is much more than just a stately home these days and we are really pleased to have Roger File, the property managing director and chief operating officer at Blenheim Palace as our speaker on this episode of Battle & Bunce Talking Property.

In 21 years at Blenheim Palace Roger has accumulated a unique knowledge of how the estate has evolved into becoming a world class destination / brand with interests in the visitor economy, natural capital, carbon sequestration, house building (Blenheim Homes/ Pye Homes), and strategic land promotion.

Roger talks passionately about all these subjects, including the estate's drive to become net zero by investing in infrastructure and connecting with the local community by investing in new schemes, including Park View and Hill Rise in Woodstock. He also talks about the Botley West Solar Farm and finally, how The Blenheim Estate has helped the local community to save a historic local pub.

Starting next year, the palace will be re-roofed in a £12.5 million project, and visitors will have a rare opportunity to learn about the work.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Thames Valley UK: The Prop Market Update

Guy Parkes, partner at Vail Williams in Reading, joined the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast at Apex Reading to go over the office market in the Thames Valley prop market, situated to the west of London and bordered by the M3, M4 and M40 motorways.

Guy, a veteran of the office industry, sees a pattern emerging in which home workers are being tempted back to the office, especially where the employer can boast today’s best-in-class stock. This positive story resonates in the key towns in the region but is tempered by the changing narrative for secondary business parks and locations.

He sees optimism in the Reading market, difficulty in Slough, the Oxford market being shaped by the need for lab space and major changes in Bracknell where the once dominant office market is giving way to a return to the town’s industrial origins.

Some occupiers are benefitting by taking fully fitted out space which has become surplus for an existing occupier. Guy is optimistic that the region will keep evolving given its proximity to the economy of London and the transport links of Heathrow.

The Battle & Bunce podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across key property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com