Send us Fan Mail

In today's episode, Matthew Battle was accompanied by UKPF's newest hire, Alfie Morse, who has taken over from Alan Bunce as news editor on The Forum and is leading news coverage in all our journals. 

Matthew and Alfie spoke to Tom Bridgman, deputy chief executive of place at Oxford City Council, about all things Oxford, notably the cities direction, its potential, and the role the reopening of the Cowley Branch Line may play. Tom is also very involved with new initiatives such as the refurbishment of the Covered Market and OxPENS.

Tom also spoke about the earlier part of his career, having worked on important regeneration projects for the London Borough of Lambeth, and Renaisi - a social enterprise company based in Hackney. 

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

For the latest episode of Battle & Co, our Managing Director Matthew Battle travelled to Leeds for the renowned UKREiiF, speaking to attendees gathered from across the property market about what they think has changed since last year’s edition.

With guests spanning from Bidwells and EIT Oxford, all the way to The Oxford Growth Commission, this episode is packed with insight from one of Europe’s most info-packed property events.

Guest timestamps:

1:22 - Neale Coleman CBE, Chair, The Oxford Growth Commission

4:10 - Oliver Luard, Director of Partnerships, Greencore Homes

7:40 - Jennifer Makkreel, Director of Capital Projects, EIT

10:04 - Matt Allan, Senior Executive Director, Bidwells + Supercluster Board

14:44 - Robin Rogers, Director in Economy & Place, Oxfordshire County Council

18:30 - Charles Butters, Consultant, Sulgrave Advisors + Oxfordshire Developers Forum

21:36 - Andy Jansons, Managing Director, Jansons Property

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

After several years of planning and construction, the Oxford North development has rapidly become one of the most talked about and significant real estate developments in the UK.

Oxford North’s masterplan will deliver million sq ft of new labs and workspace, surrounded by public parks and amenities, in the city of Oxford's flagship and best-connected innovation district. 

Billed as an Innovation District rather than JASP (Just Another Science Park), Oxford North managing director Simon Ruck and his team are developing an impressive mixed-use development which includes 480 homes and three new public parks. The first phase is now open and will welcome its first occupiers in 2026.

The podcast explores the backstory behind Simon's journey and the development masterplan led by Stanhope and Fletcher Priest Architects. Simon explains the project's future development and leasing plans as it begins welcoming new tenants and becomes part of the Oxford community.   

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Oliver Luard, partnerships & investment director for Greencore Homes joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking property podcast with one change - Alan Bunce was replaced by my Oxfordshire colleague Hugh Blaza.

Oliver has been involved with various roles throughout his land and planning career for a range of living based companies such as Vistry Homes and McCarthy Stone. Building on this experience, he joined the sustainable homes developer Greencore Homes last year to lead their move into Partnerships and alternative investments.

Backed by the £5bn M&G Catalyst Fund, Greencore Homes is developing sustainable homes across the Golden Triangle region, with homes in various stage of completion located in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire with plans for more locations. 

Oliver talked about the unique off-site design of the buildings which ensure quicker build times and higher quality levels. Using modular design, Greencore is developing healthier homes with low carbon design, built for the future and offering lower running costs for consumers.

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Ryan Harris, regional director for the Western division for The Hill Group joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

Ryan, who has been 17 years with the housebuilder, described his route through education, where he (briefly) joined the academic world, before opting for more practical hands-on roles at building sites.

He joined Lovell Partnerships and became an assistant site manager after undertaking a management training programme, then a site manager for Balfour Beatty before joining The Hill Group in 2008.

Ryan discussed the planning hurdles, the market and the remarkable growth being planned for The Hill Group.

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Ben Denton is head of strategic growth for L&G with a focus on growing the affordable housing business - both in terms of scale and attracting investment.  

He was previously managing director of L&G's affordable housing division, following a long senior career in the housing sector.

L&G's Affordable Housing Fund, launched last year, has raised £510 million of funding and the business is on track to have delivered, or have in the pipeline, 10,000 homes by next year.

Through its growing number of affordable housing developments in and around the Golden Triangle, L&G, and other affordable housing providers, are key enablers of regional growth. 

He talked to us about the booming Oxford-Cambridge corridor and how that has to be balanced with the affordability crisis, such as in Oxfordshire where average house prices are around 10 times average earnings.

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Dorchester Living chief executive Paul Silver, the driving force behind the remarkable transformation of Upper Heyford Airfield, joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

The former chartered accountant explains his route into the world of sustainable development and the remarkable transformation of the former Oxfordshire RAF base into Heyford Park, a scheme Paul has been closely involved with for more than 15 years.

Paul says he is now focused on the next stage of Heyford Park and a visionary masterplan with more than 9,000 homes planned is due to be submitted imminently.

Paul said: "I've always been drawn to the idea of creating lasting impact through the built environment and community building. 

"While working in finance, I found myself gravitating toward the housebuilding and regeneration projects, helping to deliver major schemes across the UK. 

"That experience gave me a deep understanding of what it takes to shape places, not just buildings, which ultimately led me to my work now at Dorchester Living."

Paul also talks briefly about the wider range of projects within the Dorchster Living portfolio, including Price Philip Park in Hampshire. 

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Turley director Taylor Cherrett joined the Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast to discuss one sector experiencing surging demand for space.

Taylor, a director in Turley's South East team, has previously outlined the demand for data centres, which he says is an industry unmatched in recent years for the amount of development space it needs.

So we asked him to update us on how the demand, much of it driven by AI, is being addressed, how it has reached the higher echelons of Government and how the future looks.

And we learned that, amid the burgeoning need for ever bigger centres in key locations such as the Thames Valley, the centres themselves will eventually become smaller.

Cabling infrastructure, which runs along motorway routes and the Grand Union Canal, means access to London, just as in the physical world, is key. 

Energy demand, Green Belt and how data centres are transforming the landscape all came into play.

 You can listen to the podcast here and all our previous podcasts here. 

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Mark Taylor, head of commercial agency for Savills in Cambridge, joined us for the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

Mark, who has worked in the commercial markets in Cambridge for decades, looked at the new demand for offices in the city, driven by both the much-talked about 'flight to quality' and the demand from the tech industry which is fast advancing with AI and quantum capabilities.

Mark, who worked nationally and regionally with Colliers until 2022, has been with Savills since then.

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com

Send us Fan Mail

Dan Channer, group managing director of Haslams Estate Agents, joined us for a look through the Berkshire housing market in the latest Battle & Bunce Talking Property podcast.

Having trained in marketing Dan, who in his career has been a producer for LBC, a management consultant, and spent 10 years in the family business Finders Keepers estate agent in Oxfordshire until its sale to Countrywide, was contacted by Haslams’ then managing director Steve Woodford in December 2022 and became group managing director in February 2023.

Now part of the Foxtons brand, Haslams remains the leading name in residential agency across Reading and beyond, stretching as far as Wokingham and Crowthorne under its Michael Hardy brand which it acquired in 2021.

Dan looks at the impact of the June 11 Spending Review, house prices across Berkshire, how Build-to-Rent has affected the market, future plans for growth now part of Foxtons and much more.

The Battle & Co Talking Property podcast Interviews the people making the headlines across property markets of Reading, Oxford, Cambridge and west London, loosely labelled the 'The Golden Triangle'.

Additional notes and details can be found in the weekly journal The Forum published by UK Property Forums.

www.ukpropertyforums.com