The Real Estate Adaptation and Innovation within an integrated Retailing system (REPAIR) project, conducted at the University of Glasgow and University of Sheffield, investigated the changes experienced across the retail cores of five UK cities Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Liverpool and Nottingham between 2000 and 2021. The project examined different aspects of the property market and built environment across four separate work streams.

The primary data stored here relates to Work Package C and was collected via semi-structured interviews with landlords and property professional practitioners managing assets and/or providing other property services to investors. The interviews investigate the implications of the structural changes experienced in recent years in city centre retail markets for owners, investors and developers. The findings explore the issues around redundant and vacant properties, and how investment behaviours and property market practices are adapting. The later interviews also capture the effects of the pandemic on retailing centres.

The retail sector is crucial to the economic health and vitality of towns and cities and is a core component of the national economy, but is experiencing an ongoing period of change and the challenges faced by centres are being met in different ways, with different outcomes. Consumers are behaving, shopping and using urban centres in new and diverse ways and many retailing centres have experienced falling footfall, retailer closures and a rise in empty retail units. In an attempt to reverse the cycle of decline, centres need to be multi-functional places and policy-makers are encouraging more mixed use development. Large-scale mixed-use re-development of obsolete stock, novel temporary land uses, events and public realm works are being used to try to make urban centres more attractive and increase their competitive edge. Yet, not everyone is experiencing the benefits of these changes. Mistrust, tension and conflict can arise from land use changes and become barriers to further renewal and change, limiting the effectiveness of these "town centre first" policies. A recent ESRC-funded study undertaken by researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University blamed these tensions and lack of co-operation as significant contributors to the continued declined of retailing in many centres (Parker, 2015).

This project investigates one of the largest stakeholder groups within the sector. The objectives and behaviour of land and property owners, developers and investors are significant to the use and form of retailing centres. The project explores how ownership and the behaviour of this stakeholder group impact on the sector, by exploring issues around changing ownership and use patterns; innovations in design form; the ability of the industry to respond to change; and the ways the group engages and interacts with other stakeholders in urban centres. Thus, it aims to examine how their expectations, perceptions, practices and co-operation help or limit experimentation with new uses, building types and designs.

The mixed method study, using primary and secondary data, explores issues around: whether retailers and landlords in city centres are becoming more or less diverse; whether new design formats, flexible uses and large scale redevelopments can help struggling centres; the extent to which established practices and procedures in the real estate market encourage or even hinder new uses; and whether stakeholders can work together in better ways for the future health of town and city centres. These issues are examined using five case study cities over the period 1997-2017: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Sheffield and Nottingham.

The borough with the highest property prices in London, Kensington and Chelsea, had an average price for a flat exceeding *** million British pounds. London is the most populous metropolitan area in the UK, and living in it comes with a price tag. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive boroughs in terms of real estate prices are located in the heart of the metropolis: Kensington and Chelsea, the City of Westminster, and the City of London. In Kensington and Chelsea, home to several museums such as the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as galleries and theaters, the average price of apartments was over a million British pounds. How have residential property prices developed in recent years? The average house price in England have risen notably over the past decade, despite a slight decline in 2023. While London continues to be the hottest market in the UK, price growth in the capital has moderated. Conversely, prices in the more affordable cities, such as Belfast and Liverpool, have started to rise at a faster pace. Are residential property prices in London expected to grow in the future? Despite property prices declining in 2024, the market is forecast to continue to grow in the next five years, according to a October 2024 forecast. Some of the reasons for this are the robust demand for housing, the chronic shortage of residential properties, and the anticipated decline in mortgage interest rates.

The UK Residential Building Construction market is poised for steady growth, projected to reach an estimated USD 185.55 million in 2025. The industry is expected to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.26% during the forecast period of 2025-2033. This sustained expansion is driven by persistent demand for diverse housing solutions, including villas, landed houses, condominiums, and apartments, across key urban centers like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Liverpool, as well as the broader UK landscape. The sector benefits from ongoing urbanization, a growing population, and government initiatives aimed at boosting housing supply and affordability. Furthermore, the increasing focus on sustainable building practices and the adoption of innovative construction technologies are contributing to market resilience and future development. Despite the positive growth trajectory, the UK Residential Building Construction market faces certain constraints. Rising material costs, labor shortages, and stringent regulatory frameworks present ongoing challenges. However, established construction giants such as Willmott Dixon Holdings, Mace, Skanska UK, Balfour Beatty, and Kier Group, alongside emerging players and international firms like Lendlease and Bouygues UK, are actively navigating these complexities through strategic investments in technology, supply chain optimization, and talent development. The market's segmentation by property type and its concentration in major cities highlight areas of opportunity and competition, with a keen eye on market dynamics in Europe and beyond as the industry continues to evolve. Key drivers for this market are: 4., Growth in Commercial Activities and Increased Competition4.; Increasing Demand for Affordable Housing Units. Potential restraints include: 4., Lack of Housing Spaces and Mortgage Regulation can Create Challenges. Notable trends are: Government mandates pertaining to Energy Efficiency.