REIT Investing Around The Globe – The Property Chronicle
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REIT Investing Around The Globe A look at British Land Company, one of UK’s oldest property groups

The Fund Manager

In a recent interview with NAREIT Scott Crowe said that “year-to-date the global real estate market has been relatively flat; however Europe has been relatively strong”. He explained that “in Europe, for the moment at least, the European Central Bank is still somewhat in easing mode” (The Bank of England raised the interest rate in August for only the second time in a decade).

Recently I decided to take a look at British Land Company (OTC: BTLCY), one of UK’s oldest property groups (founded in 1856), focused on high quality retail and London offices. The company owns or manages a portfolio valued at £18.2 billion and is considered one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies.

Around 80% of assets are located within campuses or multi-let environments where the company can curate the buildings and the spaces around them. This unique advantage enables the company to create places which reflect the changing needs of the people who use them.

The office portfolio which accounts for 48% of the portfolio comprises of three office campuses in central London. The retail portfolio is focused on Regional and local shopping centres, and accounts for 49% of the portfolio. More recently British Land has been focusing on a mixed-use development at Canada Water, the 53-acre redevelopment opportunity where the company plans to create a new neighbourhood for London.

The Canada Water plan is to deliver a new urban centre for London and is expected to deliver up to 3,000 new homes, two million sq ft of workspace and one million sq ft of retail, leisure, entertainment and community space including proposed health and social infrastructure, and educational uses. Subject to planning approvals, construction of the first phase (650 homes) will begin in Spring 2019.






The Fund Manager

About Brad Thomas

Brad Thomas

Brad Thomas has been a nationally acclaimed Forbes author, speaker, thought leader and adviser in the commercial real estate industry for over three decades. He is the author of The Intelligent REIT Investor (to be published in May 2021). Thomas is the Editor of the Forbes Real Estate Investor (monthly subscription-based newsletter) and CEO at Wide Moat Research. He is also the Editor-at-large of The Property Chronicle North America. Brad tweets at @rbradthomas

Articles by Brad Thomas

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