IHBC’s HESPR ‘Special Interest Sector News’ pick of the week: On ‘turning office and retail units into residential…’ from DBW

logoThe IHBC’s heritage business register HESPR – our Historic Environment Service Providers Recognition quality assurance scheme – emails members weekly ‘News and Tender Alerts, which this week features a post from Designing Buildings Wiki on ‘turning office and retail units into residential housing’.

… all leads to the same problem – empty space with no purpose…

RFM writes:

…The turmoil of the high street has been well documented, with the pandemic health crisis further heightening the challenges faced by retailers. Wary consumers are shifting online, and office workers are continuing to work from home, leaving once bustling city centres virtual ghost towns.

Rising rents, falling profits, dwindling footfall and COVID-19 restrictions have combined to force difficult choices in the industry, with store closures and repurposing inevitable. Experience from RFM Group echoes the research of international real estate advisor Savills, that reveals that up to three quarters of landlords are undertaking or considering redevelopment of retail assets….

In a similar context, the office property market is seeing a decline as a result of the interruption to demand from tenants and the sharp fall in investment interest. Employers are thinking about how much central city office space they want in the future….

…It all leads to the same problem – empty space with no purpose. In conversation with some of the North of England’s largest commercial tenants, RFM Group have been advising on the best way forward for them to optimise their leases. Amongst the thinking is converting from retail to housing, and specifically social housing…..

Read more….

To find out more on HESPR see our ’Find Services’ or explore our ‘Join HESPR’ sections.

See more IHBC and HESPR news on IHBC’s Conservation Wiki

… free promotion of your tendering opportunities…

For more on HESPR and how to become a HESPR member see hespr.ihbc.org.uk

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For a free promotion of your tendering opportunities and work needs to the IHBC’s HESPR members, please send details and links to Joanna at contact@ihbc.org.uk, as soon as possible.

Tenders can also be advertised for a fee with IHBC Jobs etc, including a targeted email to 2000+ recipients as well as full coverage on our NewsBlog alerts and social platforms (membership and followers c.25,000) and websites with c. 250,000 visits a month. Contact Joanna at contact@ihbc.org.uk

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