The South West housing market appears to have lost impetus, despite new buyer enquiries rising in March. The number of properties coming on to the market dropped further, and consequently respondents to the March 2017 RICS UK Residential Market Survey in the region have reduced predictions for sales growth in the year ahead.
Demand across the South West remains reasonably healthy, despite sales falling over the month, with 22% more respondents noting an increase in enquiries (as opposed to a fall).
However, supply is restricted, as new instructions to sell in the region...
The South West’s land, property and construction sectors must collaborate better to help end rising homelessness and deliver more affordable homes, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The professional body is asking those who work in the industry to pledge their support for its ‘A Home For Cathy’ campaign, which aims to deliver solutions to alleviate the country’s affordable housing crisis.
RICS – which sets professional standards in the land, property and construction sectors – launched its ‘Home for Cathy’ campaign at the end of last year to coincide...
Thousands of employers will publish their gender pay gap figures for the first time from today, helping break the glass ceiling and create a more modern workforce.
The UK is one of the first countries in the world to require gender pay gap reporting and follows the government’s commitment to introduce the requirements at the last election. This is a key part of the government’s work to eliminate the gender pay gap.
Voluntary, private and public sector employers with 250 or more employees will be required to publish their figures by April 2018. The regulations will cover...
Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink has announced new exhibitors for the 2017 festival as part of its Fresh at the Festival initiative. The scheme supports local independent start-ups and this year eight exciting new Fresh at the Festival exhibitors will feature alongside many festival favourites.
The initiative offers discounted stands and a one-day training and business support seminar to new exhibitors that have been in business for three years or less. Sponsor and Devon County Councillor, Andrew Leadbetter said: “We are continually looking to encourage and support...
Organisers have hailed the latest ‘speed dating with funders’ event as a huge success.
More than 150 people attended the fifth annual Finance in the South West seminar at Exeter Raceourse, organised by chartered accountants and business advisers PKF Francis Clark.
A dozen sources of grant, debt and equity funding took part together with business support agencies.
The 24 speakers included Chris Garcia, Chief Executive of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
A key feature was ‘short and sharp’ five minute presentations allowing...
After enjoying ‘boom’ conditions last year, consumer spending growth is expected to fall to a four-year low in 2017, according to the EY ITEM Club’s special report on consumer spending. Household spending power will be hit by a sharp deceleration in real income growth as a result of a triple-whammy of rising inflation off the back of sterling’s drop in 2016, stagnation in the jobs market and the impact of cuts in welfare spending on non-work incomes. Lower earners are likely to be hit disproportionately hard. CPI inflation is expected to average 2.8% this year, a five-year high, and the EY...
Up to 1,000 jobs are set to be supported in the south west with the start of two new developments due to be launched this spring by Barratt Homes.
The five star housebuilder has begun work at Redwood Heights in Plympton and Lucerne Fields in Ivybridge – both providing a significant economic boost to the local area in terms of jobs and improvements to local facilities.
Not only will the developments provide valuable new homes but in addition, a boost to the economy will be employment opportunities for tradespeople and subcontractors, mostly filled by local people.
South West ambulance paramedic Jonathan Green had his hard work and success at creating new opportunities for patients to take part in health research recognised with a regional award.
The National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (CRN) for the South West Peninsula judged Jonathan to be the worthy winner of its Research Network Forum award for creating new research participation opportunities.
Jonathan is a research paramedic with South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Helen Quinn, Chief Operating Officer of the CRN South West...
South West Communications Group and Matford Business Centre combined their efforts to help get Devon Contract Waste back at their desks the morning after their site was razed to the ground.
This Valentine’s Day sees the first anniversary of the South West Falcon, the South West’s only 24/7 cross regional coach service.
To celebrate, Stagecoach is launching a romantic competition with prizes of very special ‘dates’ at locations along the route.
Dates on offer are:
• Tickets for Craig David’s ‘Follow My Intuition’ tour at the Plymouth Pavilions Arena on 21 March. The Plymouth date has proved so popular with fans, it is now completely sold out, so this could be the last chance to secure the sought after tickets
