Interesting short video piece by Goldman Sachs
The link below is to a youtube video from Goldman Sachs on changing shopping habits in the grocery sector. Click here.
Five Hundred Days Without Government
Irish News Article reports on an RICS report on the problems facing NI from the lack of government. Read the article here.
UK Chancellor officially calls for Derry City Region Deal
The Chancellor formally invited a bid in a move welcomed by Derry City and Strabane District Council. Over the past year the local authority and its partners have done a lot of preparatory work on the business case for a deal. Chief executive John Kelpie has said: “We have developed a robust, evidence-based Statement of Intent for a city deal based on the currently adopted city and district’s strategic growth plan.” That plan highlighted the development of skills and education with a key focus on the expansion of the Magee Campus of the Ulster University and the integrated development of the North West Regional College. Also proposed were the development of existing and proposed innovation centres for medicine, cognitive analytics and advanced manufacturing as well as the delivery of new…
Nambarrie Tea building bought by Hotellier
The Nambarrie Tea building in Waring Street in the Cathedral Quarter is believed to have attracted interest from at least four hotel companies before the successful bid. Pragma negotiated planning permission through a difficult planning process in 2013 and in particular rebutted successfully the view put forward by objectors that apartments would not be suitable for the site. Objectors claimed that the building was an important reminder of Belfast's tea trade, however documents discovered by Pragma proved that assertion to be unfounded with the building being a recent addition after the Belfast blitz and the previous use on the site being unconnected to the tea trade. Assertions that the proposal would be out of character also proved to be unfounded and the design by Povall Worthington was accepted and deemed…
Outcry over historic ceiling demolition ‘influenced council decision’
An Article in The Planner (details below) carries the planning appeal decision in relation to an appeal by a developer over a decision by Bristol City Council to refuse to grant planning permission. The Planner article is here. The appeal concerned a 400-year old townhouse in Bristol’s historic centre, which was last used as a bar with offices and flats above. The owner of the building applied to the council for permission to convert the building's upper floors to form four student accommodation units, retaining the bar use below. Part of the upper floors contained an ornate Jacobean pendant ceiling. After the application was submitted, Bristol’s conservation advisory panel applied to Historic England for the building to be spot-listed in order to preserve the Jacobean ceiling, however, the day before it was…
Pragma advises parties on planning, land and development matters.
Pragma undertakes due diligence and provides strategic advice in respect to the agreement between Fraser Homes Limited and Gardrum Holdings Ltd, which will see the delivery of up to 1000 homes over the next 10 years. The houses are likely range between £120,000 and £400,000 at current market values. Commenting on the matter David Fraser of Fraser Homes, said: “For over 50 years we have built over 4,500 high quality homes across Northern Ireland and we are pleased and proud that our tradition and family heritage in house building will continue under this new agreement. We are also pleased to be joining another Northern Ireland family company with similar values and the same commitment to excellence as we have always had. This augurs well for the new generation of homes we will be…
Castleroe Masterplan
Pragma is appointed to act on behalf of private interests in respect to the production of a masterplan for major mixed use redevelopment of lands south of Coleraine. It is anticipated that the sites will include a range of uses which are as yet undetermined due to the preliminary nature of the proposals.
Significant Investment in Smart Construction
The Business and Energy Secretary has announced a partnership between the government and the construction industry that includes a £420 million investment in what is termed ‘bytes and mortar smart construction’. The money is intended to go towards transforming construction through the use of digital building design, new manufacturing technologies and offsite manufacturing, all contributing to reducing the time taken to deliver new-builds by up to a claimed 50 per cent. The government claims that the UK-wide deal will boost the delivery of 1.5 million new homes by 2022 and that it will also support the Clean Growth Grand Challenge mission to halve the energy use of new-builds by 2030. It's unclear how much of the £420 million will be allocated to NI.
Belfast City Council update on Belfast Region City Deal progress
An article on Belfast City Council's website has indicated that Belfast City Council has agreed further work plans on the Belfast Region City Deal at its monthly meeting on Monday, 2nd July. City Deals are bespoke packages of funding for large projects to boost the economy and create better jobs, but that require funding from Westminster, the Department of Finance as well as Local Authorities. The Belfast Region City Deal offers a once in a generation opportunity for the six local authority areas involved. Belfast City Council is working in close collaboration with the five local authority partners - Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Mid and East Antrim and Newry, Mourne and Down as well as the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Ministry for Housing, Communities…
Markets Judicial Review Successful
Pragma director, David Worthington MRTPI, acted as Expert Witness in the recently successful judicial review of a decision of Belfast City Council to grant planning permission for a multi-storey office block. The challenge was brought by one of the residents of a city centre residential area and sought to challenge the decision on a number of grounds including planning matters. Engaged by O'Muirigh Solicitors, Pragma provided a series of reports and other expert witness evidence in relation to the complex planning aspects of the case, specifically in relation to the development plan, its status and policy content. Reports also included evidence in respect to the handling of the case by the Council and the weight attributed to certain planning matters.