Four Thoughts: The UK planning system enters a new virtual reality
'It’s unfortunate that it has taken a global pandemic for the system to finally move into the 21st century'
Written by
PrimeResi Pundits
Including: Assael Architecture, Bidwells, Irwin Mitchell & Perkins and Will at
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PrimeResi is the Journal of Luxury Property. The leading news, opinion & insight resource for the UK's prime residential property industry.
‘There should not be a fast track for beauty’: Betts Committee reports on The Future of the Planning System in England
"The government’s aim of developing a planning system that enables buildings to be built more quickly and with greater input from local communities is welcome, but it is far from clear how the current…
By PrimeResi
Raynsford Review: A 24-point plan to fix the ‘chaotic patchwork’ planning system
"Planning in England is less effective than at any time in the post-war era", declares Nick Raynsford's team in the first comprehensive review of the planning system for a generation
By PrimeResi
Rethinking the planning system: Downing Street to consider ‘wholesale reform’
Influential think tank Policy Exchange has published a blueprint for the "urgent wholesale reform" of the planning system, calling for a "clean break" with the current regime.
By PrimeResi
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Former CEO brings ‘significant whistleblowing case’ against Battersea Power Station owners
Lawyers say Don O’Sullivan's case 'raises very important questions about the integrity of financial reporting at Battersea', allegations that the company strongly denies.
By PrimeResi
DDRE reports £89mn in sales so far in 2026; boosts headcount to 55
Expanding PCL brokerage chalks up big-ticket deals and lands first resi development instruction.
Buyer swoops on £19.95mn apartment at The OWO
Deal agreed in just seven days for Raffles-serviced residence at landmark Whitehall scheme.
In Conversation: Lucie Hirst on prime market misconceptions and the new rules of buying
Buying agent Lucie Hirst discusses pricing realism, off-market networks and shifting demand across London and the Cotswolds.
Ranked: The UK’s ‘best places to live’ in 2026
The Sunday Times unveils its influential annual rundown, with Norwich crowned the overall winner and Richmond taking the top spot in London.
On Leasehold Reform: What the big shake-up could mean for prime property investors
Following publication of the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill earlier this year, lawyers Kate Stockdale & Michael Ellis assess the likely impact on ground rents, ownership structures and investor…
Knight Frank toasts £1bn sales milestone at King’s Cross
Agency closes out long-running sales programme at 'transformational' 67-acre regen scheme.
Bidder bags Belgravia duplex for under £1,000 psf
Three-bed apartment between Eaton and Sloane Square sold at auction last week.
Weekly Showcase: Ten featured prime resi listings
PrimeResi's regular stock check, powered by LonRes
MIPIM Debrief: A prime resi specialist’s key takeaways from Cannes in 2026
Design & project delivery boss Shona Patel reviews crucial trends from one of the world's leading real estate industry get-togethers - including some interesting insights about the luxury sector.
By Shona Patel
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Where next for Europe’s branded residential sector?
Scheme numbers set to more than double by 2032 as brands ramp up expansion - but growth is being outpaced globally, new analysis shows.
Sims Hilditch recruits former Linley interior design head
Tom Carpenter joins to lead the high-end firm’s London studio.
‘State of the art’ Kensington townhouse with high-level heritage seeks £16.75mn
This Victorian home raised the game with one of the world's first hydraulic passenger lifts.
By PrimeResi
Top-end developer tackles buyer uncertainty with pre-purchase advisory service
New offering from Landmass aims to help buyers make 'informed decisions' and accelerate transactions.
Buying agency reports ‘deals being agreed at levels that would have been simply dismissed six months ago’
Garrington says it is seeing 'sellers recalibrate as the realities of a more competitive landscape set in.'
By PrimeResi