Couple of planning updates leading from the catch up call earlier. Re strategic sites, I mentioned the auto referral for schemes of over 150 dwellings which LPAs are going to refuse. Steve Reed (Housing Sec) stated: "Given the scale of the housing crisis, and the imperative of building the homes we need, I want to use these [call-in] powers in a more focused and active way”. Accordingly, LPAs will be required to notify the Housing Secretary of their intention to refuse an application for 150 homes or more. Once notified, the Housing Secretary will decide whether to take the application over. This kicks in from tomorrow. Potential helpful independent scrutiny ahead of a refusal. No idea how long this might take in practice though... Grey Belt - happy to talk to any of you more on this. I have one application running (120 units), one in pre-app (20) and two being prepared (160 and 10). Happy to talk requirements and risk. Whilst I'm on... I'd already flagged that application fees are going up by 3.8% on 1 April. I was at an event with the Chief Planner for England on Monday, and she relayed info about a potential new application fee scale. With costs only going one way, and a couple of worrying details... Consultation went live yesterday. See my LinkedIn post here for more info: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nick-stafford_fees-for-planning-applications-share-7442147721324621824-BaGv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAVnzbMBopLmayIDgc_qomtPf3ja_fepEFY

Great session today with 7 property experts breaking down a live deal in Kew Gardens. Here’s what we covered: 🏗️ Live Deal Analysis We pulled up a real site and collectively worked through the land value using our combined experience + tools. This is where the real learning happens. @Andy Everett patch!! 🌍 The Grey Belt Opportunity Massive discussion around the grey belt and why it’s one of the biggest opportunities for developers right now.👉 Big thanks to @Nick Stafford for the insights here. 🏡 Local Authorities & Housing Targets Most councils are behind on delivery targets, which creates opportunity if you know how to position your deals correctly. We talked strategy on how to approach this. 📈 Deals in the Pipeline A few members shared updates on their live deals moving through, great to see momentum building. 🤖 AI Property Appraisal Tool We also looked at the new appraisal tool: Fill in 7 simple inputs on this FORM → get a fully appraised spreadsheet back. Game-changer for speed and decision-making. 💬 Question for the group: What would you have valued the Kew Gardens site at? Drop your thoughts below 👇

Hi everyone, My name is Vittoria and I’m currently an MSc Real Estate Finance student at Henley Business School. Adrian is my mentor and kindly gave me the opportunity to join this community. I’m currently starting to approach the job market and have recently had a few interviews for roles in Dubai. I would really appreciate any advice on interviews, especially for positions in real estate, brokerage, or investment. If anyone has tips, experiences, or insights to share, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance, and it’s a pleasure to be part of the community.