Montagu Evans

“There is a clear opportunity now for Homes England to sit more squarely at the centre of housing and regeneration delivery. Planning reform is a strong start, but we need to turn these new policies into viable, deliverable sites that can go straight to market." Head of Advisory Alan Harris talks in Green Street News: Europe this week about housing and regeneration under the new government.  “Homes England is already very well placed to bring together different groups – housebuilders, housing associations, pension funds, local authorities and others – in partnership," he adds. "They should also consider access to construction given the government’s delivery requirements and the chance to make approaches like modern methods of construction work more effectively and at scale with a clearer pipeline of work.” Full article: https://lnkd.in/gvcUA9BH #MEAdvisory #HomesEngland #Housing #Regeneration

Our client, Watkin Jones Group, has secured planning approval for The Àrd, a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Glasgow, Scotland. It will see the former Portcullis House brownfield site beside the M8 at Charing Cross redeveloped into a 784-bedroom PBSA scheme with ground-floor commercial units. Designed by architectural firm Hawkins\Brown, The Àrd will also feature the latest low and zero-carbon technologies, enhanced biodiversity and new landscaped areas with an increased public realm. We led the planning process on this opportunity from the initial acquisition of the site through to the Glasgow City Council decision. We also provided specialist townscape, visual impact, and socio-economic inputs to support the project team. Partner Craig Wallace in our Scottish Planning team said: "This decision is a fantastic outcome for our client and the wider project team, and represents the culmination of many years of project development and close working with Glasgow City Council and other key stakeholders. We look forward to seeing the proposals move towards delivery and as a positive addition to Glasgow City Centre." A big thank you to the wider team of Watkin Jones Group, Hawkins\Brown, HarrisonStevens Landscape Architecture & Urban Design, Atelier Ten, Hurd Rolland, Orbit Communications, Shoosmiths and our incredible Montagu Evans team, including Craig Wallace, Rhiannon Moore, Morgan Reece, David Taylor, and Thomas Bender. Read more about this exciting development on BBC News: https://lnkd.in/eTN622WG Photos Credit: Watkins Jones Group #MEPlanning #PBSA #PlanningApproval #Glasgow #Scotland

"Usually, when I advise clients on the merits of submitting an application for a Certificate of Immunity from Listing, I explain that the risk is that if it is not granted, then the building will automatically be listed. Not so for City Hall." The famous London City Hall building has been refused listing for a second time, paving the way for proposals to overhaul the 22-year-old landmark. Partner Lucy Markham from our Historic Environment and Townscape team reviews the curious case of the City Hall listing, highlighting the careful balance required between preserving modern architecture and allowing time for proper historical context. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eQ7SJfyn #MEHEAT #CityHall #ListingCases

As we wrap up South Asian Heritage Month, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the experiences and insights we’ve shared over the past month. The last few weeks have been an important time for us to learn more about the diverse cultures from the South Asian diaspora and celebrate their contributions to the Built Environment and the UK. Throughout the month, we had the pleasure of featuring stories and quotes from our team members on our LinkedIn page, each sharing their unique cultural backgrounds and experiences within the industry. If you missed them, check them out here: Simran Shah: https://lnkd.in/ebaf9StJ Jayesh Jiva: https://lnkd.in/eMw5tz2F Aaron Singh: https://lnkd.in/ea_RwfGh Elly Spink (Ally): https://lnkd.in/eeEJjSez #SAHM2024 has been marked by both celebrations and challenges, especially given the recent events across the UK. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of fostering understanding, respect, and allyship within our organisations and wider communities.

Aaron Singh is a member of our Open Circle network, and in celebration of #SAHM2024, Aaron shares what it means to him.

Business rates remain a topic that divides few ratepayers and has the ability to create some strong, if unexpected, alliances. Bruce Wilson, a Partner in our Rating Advisory team, himself with considerable experience advising the UK’s largest retailers, adds to this week’s calls for change. “Fifteen years ago, Tesco’s then-CEO Terry Leahy was passionate in his calls for reform. Foodstore operators, normally at loggerheads with each other, along with other retailers, were all aligned as they saw the shifting sands, with shopping patterns moving away from traditional to online environments. “Fast forward to today, reform has followed reform but with no fundamental changes. With ever-increasing liability out of touch with falling revenue and margin for retailers, the consequence remains shop closures, unemployment and increasing vacancy levels in the high street.  “In this week’s Times, Simon Roberts, chief executive of J Sainsbury and Paddy Lillis, general secretary of Usdaw, are speaking with one voice following the report highlighting the jeopardy of inaction and the need to support our town centres and save jobs. “But speak to stakeholders on how to reform, and you’ll get many different answers, and therein lies the problem. However, what you will consistently hear is ‘it’s just too high’ with many calling for more sustainable levels and multipliers closer to 30p than the 60p we are rapidly approaching. “An injection of hard-fought cash for investment in jobs, putting more money in more people’s pockets and supporting retail as an essential part of the town centre mix would of course be welcome. But even at a time when the Exchequer is under pressure, business rates reform needs to look wider across more sectors - especially with thoughts starting to turn to the 2026 revaluation. Evolution or revolution, we need the Government to look at radical reductions for all ratepayers.” Access the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eGuwDxsb #MERating #BusinessRates #BRC #RatingReform

Our client, PPHE Hotel Group, has been given the go-ahead at appeal for its plans to create a new hotel development at 79-87 Westminster Bridge Road, a prominent corner site near Waterloo Station. The proposals designed by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands (LDS) will deliver an attractive 14-storey hotel with a gym at the basement, retail on the ground floor, and office and light industrial uses on the first and second floors. The main points of contention at the Inquiry included height, heritage, and land use. Our team, consisting of Dr Chris Miele, Kate Falconer Hall, and Honor Munro-Hall, supported PPHE as the experts on heritage, townscape, and visual matters. Dr Miele was the lead and the witness on heritage and design matters alongside Douglas Inglis of LDS. The Inspector concluded that there was no harm to the ability to appreciate the landmark status of the Lincoln Tower, its architectural or historic significance, and all other heritage assets and conservation areas in proximity, agreeing with the evidence put forward by Dr Miele and the team. Notably, the decision was issued within 12 days of the conclusion of the Inquiry, which was an encouraging indication of the strength of the Appellant’s case. Dr Chris Miele said: “The Site’s location directly opposite the Grade II listed Lincoln Tower and adjacent to the Lower Marsh Conservation Area created a challenging context that required a detailed case around the high-quality design. “These proposals provide a sensitive response to the local area drawing on familiar architectural forms with an arcaded base of two storeys that will draw members of the public around the corner of the curved façade onto Westminster Bridge Road, a historic Roman Route into central London. A taller building at the corner of this junction will mark the important location of Lambeth North Tube Station and signify the beginning of the Central Activity Zone. “This development will deliver a significant improvement to the overall appearance of the area whilst providing employment uses and hotel accommodation within walking distance from the cultural hub of the Southbank.” #MEHEAT #HotelDevelopment #Westminster

Today, Alan Harris discusses estate rationalisation with Samantha McClary of EG, including whether the new government should consider a dedicated property strategy minister to bring real estate expertise to the forefront. “For more than a year, there have been headlines about cash-strapped councils, forced to sell £15bn of assets or some 75,000 properties. So, talk of around £500m of government sales are not even the tip of the iceberg, surely? “Across the wider public sector, this is already well underway for many, and we expect to see a significant focus on this year. The days of owning assets’ just because we do’ are gone, and organisations across local and central government are considering what’s needed to manage an asset, the cost of improving sustainability and what the actual benefits to the public are – and making more resolute decisions than I’ve ever seen in my career. “The resources needed are intense, both for reviewing assets and ensuring decisions are made based on robust forward-looking analysis of need. Do nothing might be the easiest option, but it’s becoming more and more evident it’s not the right approach.” Read the full article on EG here: https://lnkd.in/eh7rCnva #MEAdvisory #PublicSector #RealEstate #UKPolitics

Plans for a landmark teaching laboratories building have been submitted this week on behalf of our longstanding client, The University of Sheffield. The design, by Twelve Architects & Masterplanners and BVN Architecture, creates a ‘window to the teaching of science’. The building is located on the campus’ prominent Gold Route, which promotes active travel across the University campus. We provided planning, heritage and townscape consultancy advice to the University of Sheffield for the past 13 years, including advising upon and helping to shape its most prestigious schemes, most notably the Diamond Building and the recently completed Wave Building. “This will be a truly world-class teaching building,” said Montagu Evans Partner Julian Stephenson. “It will consolidate the Faculty of Science into one building, providing state-of-the-art facilities including two ‘super-labs’ for the teaching of up to 600 students, a medical teaching unit, flexible study spaces and a pocket park. On completion in 2027, the building will be a further step forward for the University in achieving their ambitious vision of creating a sustainable, low carbon estate, and will significantly improve the teaching experience for undergraduate science students”. With Julian Stephenson, Rachel Mushet, and Dylan Chaplin on Planning and David Taylor, Ben Tosland and Benjamin Clark on Heritage, Townscape and Visual Impact. #MEPlanning #MEHEAT #HigherEducation #UniversityOfSheffield

“After 30 years in the field, I can confidently say that these are some of the boldest reforms we’ve seen - and they couldn’t be more timely.” 👉 https://lnkd.in/eFBapuYf The Government has recently unveiled proposals aimed at updating the planning system and driving economic growth. In this article, Partner and Head of Central London Planning Guy Bransby reflects on the proposed planning reforms, detailing three core focus areas: 1️⃣ Amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2️⃣ A New Planning and Infrastructure Bill: 3️⃣ A Universal System of Strategic Planning While these reforms sound promising, their implementation will be the real test. What do you think about these proposed changes? Click the link at the top of the post to read the article. #MEPlanning #CentralLondon #EconomicGrowth #PlanningPolicy