Ipswich Police and Ipswich Borough Council have teamed up to buy new, joint headquarters.
The purchase – for the 60,000 sq ft nearly complete Landmark House and adjacent development land in Ipswich, from Wrenbridge and its joint venture partner Landmark East Anglia – shows how the government’s public spending cuts could affect property deals. Saving money on property has moved up the agenda since the election, but even before then initiatives such as Total Place had been set up, which encouraged joint deals.
They will each own 50% of the freehold of …

Central government should consider relocating civil servants to outer London boroughs as part of its cost cutting drive.
The government is looking to relocate 15,000 civil servants following a report by former Reed Elsevier chief executive Ian Smith earlier this year. However, the BCO conference heard that, rather than sending the jobs to the UK regions, London’s outer boroughs could host the relocated public sector staff.
This could include moves to developments in Stratford and around the Olympics site in east London after 2012.
Sir Simon Milton, deputy mayor responsible for policy and …

The coalition government’s “localist” agenda could see London mayor Boris Johnson (pictured) take on a host of new housing powers.
Speaking today at the annual British Council of Offices conference Sir Simon Milton, deputy mayor responsible for policy and planning at the Greater London Authority, said possible changes could include devolving the Homes and Communities Agency’s housing role in the capital to Boris.
“The new Government has signalled it intends to be more ‘localist’ and to get rid of quangos. This will result in the mayor and the London boroughs having more …

Advantage West Midlands has provided funding for the new stadium at Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
Birmingham City Council has also agreed to provide funding on the back of this, enabling construction to begin on site. Galliford Try is the main contractor.
The stadium is due to open in time for the 2011 Test Match against India.
Savills is advising on the process.
Savills director Barry Allen said: “Edgbaston is synonymous with cricket and is an internationally recognised brand. This new stadium secures the future of international cricket and will be a …

Royal Mail is considering the redevelopment of a key sorting office it owns near Tottenham Court Road in central London.
The post service has appointed Jones Lang LaSalle to advise on the long-term potential for the site at Rathbone Place.
The decision has been prompted by radical improvements in the surrounding area.
Among these are the redevelopment of the nearby Tottenham Court Road Tube station as part of London’s east-west rail link, Crossrail, and Legal & General and the Mitsubishi Estate’s Central St Giles scheme.
Royal Mail’s real estate team, led by property director …

The chief executive of Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, Max Steinberg, has been appointed as chief executive of Liverpool Vision.
Steinberg, 58, will replace Jim Gill, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
Steinberg was awarded the OBE in 1997 for services to housing and regeneration on Merseyside. He began his career at Liverpool City Council in 1975 before moving to the Housing Corporation, where he spent 25 years. He then moved to be chief executive of Elevate East Lancashire in 2003. Since 2009, he has been chief executive of Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.
Chairman of …

Work to develop a temporary park on the stalled site of a £320m shopping centre development in Bradford owned by Westfield is due to begin on Monday.
The 10-acre site suffered graffiti from local artists angry that the site was left to decay while the development was on hold, who branded the company “Wastefield” on the hoardings.
However, now the developer has signed an agreement with Yorkshire Forward and Bradford Council to house a temporary park on the site, a positive example of what Property …

Manchester City Council has approved plans for the Mayfield civil service campus.
The green light for the concept of the “Whitehall of the north” follows public consultation, and came just before Ian Smith’s independent cost-saving review, which supported the plans, was published for the government alongside the budget last week
The campus next to Manchester Piccadilly station will house some of the 15,000 civil servants earmarked for relocation from London over the next five years.
Drivers Jonas Deloitte and Bennetts Associates are advising on the plans.
To view Ian Smith’s report on relocations, click …

Blackpool Council has approved Muse Developments’ £220m Talbot Gateway scheme, a major regeneration project for the seaside town.
The development will regenerate the north west part of the Town Centre, around Blackpool North station.
It comprises more than 330,000 sq ft of office and business space including new council offices as well as a 90,000 sq ft food superstore, four hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants, residential units and a doctor’s surgery.
The 25-acre scheme also includes a public square opposite the station.
Mike Horner, regional director at Muse, said: “The Talbot Gateway development is a …

University College Birmingham is planning a new campus on a four acre site at the edge of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.
Councillor Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, announced the plans at the MIPIM conference in Cannes.
He said: “The plans will be presented to the college board later this month and such is the interest in what we are doing in Birmingham that over 190 firms of architects in the UK, Europe and the US have already registered an interest in working with us.”
The principal of University College, Professor …