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More than 10% of shops on the UK’s high streets are now vacant or available to lease according to the latest Retail Availability survey from real estate adviser Cushman & Wakefield.

The figure of 10.7% at 1 February is a marginal increase of 0.4% over the previous three months when availability fell for the first time in 2009 by 2.3%. That figure was boosted by temporary lettings in the run up to Christmas. The new figure however is almost 2% below the peak recorded in August 2009 of 12.6%.

At 1.5% of the total number of shops surveyed, availability as a result of retailer administrations has fallen by a marginal 0.3% despite some reasonably high profile casualties including Diamonds & Pearls, Ethel Austin and Threshers.

Office occupiers in several markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are still well-placed to negotiate favourable terms with landlords, according to latest office and market research from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

Despite the fact that rents are stabilising in several major cities across the region, landlords in many markets are still offering sizeable incentive packages in order to secure tenants. With landlords reluctant to lose tenants and risk voids, large occupiers who represent significant parts of a landlord’s portfolio are in a particularly strong position to negotiate.

Commercial property enjoyed a re-acceleration of capital growth in February, bouncing back after a slower than expected start to 2010.

According to the latest CB Richard Ellis Monthly Index, capital values rose by 1.4% in February - producing total returns of 2.0% for All Property.

Central London offices once again were the best performers over the month, with total returns of 2.6% and capital growth of 2.1%. Shopping Centres also performed strongly, with a total return of 2.4% and capital growth of 1.8% in February, finally enjoying some catch up after a very weak 2009.

The deadline day for retrospective appeals and claims is looming, and where real savings can be made – but occupiers need to be quick!

At this time of year the newspapers are full of adverts for deadline days.  If we are not being reminded to get our self-assessment tax returns in on time, then we are being reminded that the Isa deadline day is fast approaching.

There can be no more despised tax for commercial property people than the Government's empty business rates, according to property agency Cluttons.

This charge on empty business premises came into force on April 1, 2008; owners having been granted relief on unoccupied properties previously by the 1988 Local Government and Finance Act.

The effects of the economic crisis on demand for office space varied across the world’s major office markets in 2009, and there are now widespread differences in their rental characteristics, according to CB Richard Ellis’ (CBRE) new Global Office Rental Cycle report.

Almost all real estate markets in Europe and Asia are now seeing rents falling at a slower rate and in some cases stabilising, a trend which is expected to continue as take-up improves and vacancy moderates in 2010. In contrast, most US office markets, with the exception of New York, are further back in the rental cycle and are likely to see further falls in
rents.

London’s office market was hit hard and early by the global financial crisis, but in comparison with other leading financial centres, it has been among the first to bounce back, according to the latest research from the leading commercial property consultant, CB Richard Ellis.

The CB Richard Ellis report – How Did They Fare? A Comparison of Offices Markets in International Financial Centres – examines the impact of the credit crunch and recession on the occupational and investment markets for office property in London, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo – four top-ranking international financial centres (IFCs).

Flexibility of buildings and leases in the industrial and logistics property market has become vital in response to shorter business planning horizons and to suit the emerging space requirements of international occupiers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). This market pressure is driving the emergence of a two-tier market and sparking future change for tenants in the sector, according to latest research from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

As with other commercial property markets, leasing activity has fallen in the logistics market and rents declined by around 5% across Western Europe in 2009. In response to those market conditions and an uncertain economic outlook, organisations are expressing the need to review business planning decisions on a more frequent basis, which has heightened the importance of space flexibility and associated costs.

Recession has compounded the problems faced by some UK high streets but is not the only cause.

Reacting to new figures from The Local Data Company, which shows shop-vacancy rates still high in many towns, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said many of the problems of town centres have more fundamental causes than simply the economic slowdown and recovery alone will not overcome them.

The widely anticipated slowdown in the rate of capital appreciation of commercial property has taken place, following three successive months of record growth in the final quarter of last year, according to the latest CBRE Monthly Index.

Capital values rose by 0.9% over January, producing total returns of 1.5%.

Central London offices saw the strongest performance over the month, with total returns of 2.2%, around half of December’s 4.3% figure. By contrast, retail warehouses showed the most significant slowing in the rate of capital growth, seeing total returns up by 1.2%, their weakest monthly increase since June.