Japanese Firm Snaps up Douglas House in London Office Market Debut
Japanese real estate firm Sogo Development Group has purchased Douglas House, a 43,541‑sq‑ft art‑deco office building in Fitzrovia, marking its inaugural office investment in London’s West End. The property, refurbished in 2019 and 2025, was sold by Oval Real Estate for an undisclosed price as part of the Lotus portfolio, which Oval bought for roughly £300 million (about $384 million). Douglas House is leased long‑term to flexible‑office operator FORA, with upward‑only rent reviews, providing a stable income stream. The transaction involved multiple advisers, underscoring its strategic significance for Sogo’s global expansion.
Palace Capital’s Portfolio Value Drops 16% over Six-Month Period
Palace Capital reported a 16% drop in portfolio value to £31.3 million (≈$40 million) over the six months to March end, driven by weaker office and leisure assets. Office valuations fell 11%, with the Newcastle St James Gate property hit hardest, while the Northampton...
LondonMetric Reaping Rewards of Focus on ‘Winning Sectors’ as Rental Income Rises
LondonMetric reported a 16% jump in net rental income to £450 m (≈$576 m) for the year, driven by its focus on "winning sectors" despite volatile bond yields and liquidity constraints. The £7.6 bn (≈$9.7 bn) triple‑net portfolio achieved 98% occupancy, with an average...
E-Commerce Giant Signs at Panattoni Park Crawley in Largest South East Leasing of the Year
Panattoni Park Crawley, a 200,000‑sq‑ft grade‑A logistics campus in the South East, has been fully leased to an e‑commerce retailer believed to be Amazon under a 10‑year agreement. The lease, the largest such transaction in the region this year, covers...
Prime London Housing Sales Plummet 41% Year on Year, LonRes Finds
London's prime housing market saw a sharp contraction in March, with transaction volume plunging 41% year‑on‑year, according to LonRes data. Average achieved sale prices fell 5.5% versus the previous year and 7.5% compared with the 2017‑19 March average. By contrast,...
Savills Publishes High-Value April Catalogue Featuring 300 Lots
Savills released its April auction catalogue on 16 April 2026, showcasing more than 300 lots across residential and commercial sectors. The catalogue’s headline asset is a free‑hold development in Kingston upon Thames priced at £4.75 million (≈ $6.1 M). Other notable listings include a 312‑acre...
Martin’s Properties Launches Self-Storage Platform
Martin’s Properties has unveiled Cactus Self Storage, a wholly owned platform aimed at building and operating self‑storage facilities across the South and South West of England. The first purpose‑built 300‑unit site in Didcot is already permitted and is expected to...
Residents Win Right for Judicial Review Against Chinese ‘Super Embassy’ Approval
The High Court has scheduled a June hearing to consider a legal challenge by local residents against the approval of a Chinese “super embassy” near Tower Bridge in London. The proposed 620,000 sq ft compound would be the largest diplomatic base in...
Homes England and Vistry to Bring Forward 1,000 Northstowe Homes
Homes England and Vistry Group have signed a conditional contract to fast‑track 1,000 new homes at the Northstowe development in Cambridgeshire. About 40 % of the units will be affordable, and the scheme includes a primary school, roads, utilities and green...
A&o Secures £761m Refinancing to Pave Way for Ambitious Growth Plans
European hostel operator a&o Hostels has secured a €874 million (≈ $952 million) refinancing facility from Apollo‑managed funds, replacing its prior loan. The new senior multi‑year loan is collateralised by its portfolio of 44 hostels in 32 cities and funds the second €500 million...
Muse Promotes Rogers to New National Operations Director Post
Muse has created a national operations director role and promoted Stuart Rogers, formerly North West director of project management, to fill it. Rogers will oversee day‑to‑day activities and enforce high‑quality standards across Muse’s expanding regeneration pipeline. He brings nearly two...
SEGRO and Berkeley Secure Three Leases for V-Park Grand Union
SEGRO and the Berkeley Group have signed three new leases at the V‑Park Grand Union development in Park Royal, north‑west London. The agreements total more than 8,000 sq ft and involve pharmaceutical distributor Pharmium, frozen‑snack maker Hidden Fruits and bakery chain Café De Nata....
Avison Young Appointed to Manage Typhoo Wharf Development Ahead of BBC’s Move
Avison Young has been appointed to manage the Typhoo Wharf redevelopment in Birmingham, a mixed‑use project that will eventually deliver 800,000 sq ft of residential and commercial space. The scheme includes 84,000 sq ft of new commercial premises for BBC Birmingham and 2,884 sq ft of...
Law Firm RPC to Relocate London Headquarters to Devonshire Square
Law firm RPC will relocate its London headquarters to 10 Devonshire Square, occupying all five floors of the 67,023 sq ft Grade II‑listed building on a 15‑year lease. The move, slated for 2028, ends a 20‑year tenancy at its 69,000 sq ft Tower Bridge House...
Sirius Grows Rental Income on the Back of £400m Acquisition Spree
German‑UK real estate operator Sirius Real Estate reported an 18.4% rise in total rent roll for the year to March, driven by €464 million (£403 million) of acquisitions. The portfolio added 13 assets, including €155 million (£135 million) of properties with a strong defence...
