Next year will be another lean one for new-build office development across the North as encouraging rental growth fails to outpace build costs and investor uncertainty keeps yields soft.

Property professionals across the North universally welcomed the revised National Planning Policy Framework, especially its changes to the Green Belt.

Housing providers, developers, and investors have been loud and clear about what needs to be done to achieve the government’s housing goal of 1.5m homes before the end of this Parliament. Place North has listened and is taking action.

The North East property industry gathered at Wylam Brewery for a festive night of socialising and fun.

Despite delays to the promised government reforms on planning, housing minister Matthew Pennycook has outlined ambitions to bring back regional spatial strategies. Plus: rent controls and Manchester offices.

The RIBA award-winning Stoller Hall swapped out live music for an intriguing Place North Question Time event, where political leaders, investors, and industry figures took to a panel to take questions from Place North’s editorial team and members of the audience.

While undoubtedly necessary, stricter rules around the safety of buildings could stymie the delivery of new homes in Northern cities if lengthy delays obtaining regulator sign-off go unchecked, according to industry figures across the North.

Managing the energy usage, visitor access, and lockers is just the start of what technology in smart buildings can do. Smart Spaces’ Dan Drogman and MEPC’s Dan Hyde delved into the future of the office and its relationship with technology.

Despite the odds, the office market not only survived Brexit woes and Covid concerns – it positively thrived. But has Labour’s employer NI hike just spelt the end for the high-end office market? Plus: Peel ducks out at MediaCity and co-living picks up pace in Leeds.