Delegates at the latest Reading Social event learned of signs of pushback against sustainable development measures.
Speaking in a panel discussion on ethical development, held at Green Park in conjunction with Ethical Reading, Dan Lampard, senior director and head of the Thames Valley office for Lichfields, explained a recent change in sentiment among councillors of all parties.
He told the November 18 meeting: “In all the time I have been involved in planning, the message we have had is overwhelmingly that members are supportive of sustainability measures and supportive of solar panels and suchlike – and net zero.
“In the last couple of years, and it reflects the national climate, for the first time we’ve seen some kickback against sustainability, primarily in terms of solar farms but also the net zero agenda.
“So there is sometimes negativity about sustainable development measures.”
As a result he believes that negativity may increase. And he told guests Reform UK has made clear its opposition to net zero and solar farms.
There was agreement among the panel that the proposals within the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to ban upward-only rent reviews (UORR) would be damaging.
David Thomas, partner for Vail Williams, said the reason for UORRs to allow rents to follow the market and to inflation-proof them.
He said: “All this (ban) is doing is to drive the market towards CPI (consumer price index) or fixed reviews.”
He added: “As a tenant advisor I say this with a heavy heart.”
He believes landlords may seek shorter leases without reviews.
Rory Carson, director of Green Park owner Mapletree Properties, said the move would harm pensions which are invested in property and, with yields suffering due to high building and refurbishment costs, the ban would compound those problems.
The next UK Property Forums event is Christmas Drinks at St John’s College, Oxford. And our famous Figgy Pudding Christmas Lunch is the next day.
Image shows (l-r): Matthew Battle, managing director of UK Property Forums (moderator), Dan Lampard, senior director and head of the Thames Valley office for Lichfields, Will Barrett, managing director of Francis construction, Rory Carson, director of Mapletree Properties, owner of Green Park and David Thomas, partner for Vail Williams.
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