Lem Bingley

Over the past week we’ve learned some important lessons about housing, tax and politics.

Parliament returned from holidays this week, amid fevered speculation about fiscal policies and ministerial survival odds. But behind the fiery spectacle, spade work awaited.

August is traditionally a quiet time for the property sector, but bosses at Great Portland Estates (GPE) will be wishing it had been quieter still.

Even as the holiday season beckons, government attempts to reform building safety rumble on.

Time waits for no one, as the government is finding ever more frequently.

The impact of climate change could lead to unpredictable shocks to the value of commercial real estate, as well as the availability and cost of buildings insurance, the Bank of England (BoE) has warned.

The threat posed by buildings varies dramatically during the journey from conception to completion.

Earlier this week, I took part in our second annual Life Sciences and Research Clusters conference, staged in concert with our in-house colleagues at Construction News.

Opened in December 2023, Brent Cross West rail station in north-west London still looks box fresh. With four full-length platforms and a bright, airy ticket hall, it feels as if the ribbon was cut yesterday, rather than 18 months ago.

This week brought welcome recognition from the government that rhetoric is not the foundation stone on which 1.5 million (or indeed any) homes can be built.