Our latest Pulse highlights a number of developments bringing new space to the market for the first time in over a decade and the opportunity for European retailers in the Irish market.
To view the full report, please click here.
Quarter 2 Dublin office take up exceeded 440,000 sq.ft. resulting in an increase in average deal size to 7,720 sq.ft. (24% increase on Q1 2023)
City Fringe and Suburban markets performed particularly well this quarter accounting for 60% of all take-up. Dublin continues to attract a diverse mix of industries with professional services, finance and state agencies the most active sectors this quarter with TMT accounting for just 6% of total take up, a decrease of 35% from the same quarter of 2022. We commence Q3 with over 665,000 sq.ft. of office space currently reserved.
See full details below together with expert insight from Lucy Connolly.
To view the full report, please click here.
Our latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live. In this publication our retail leasing team recap on activity at the half year point of the year. Separately in our “Expert Insight” section Neil Bannon looks at two differing perspectives relating to the performance of instore vs online retail. The devil is always in the detail!
To view the full report, please click here.
The development of infrastructural schemes of national importance has long been problematic. Inherently such schemes require the compulsory acquisition of multiple landholdings and as a result many road and light rail schemes have been beset with legal challenges resulting in delayed delivery and in some circumstances the complete abandonment of projects.
There have been numerous examples of schemes that have failed to materialise due to legal challenges which cast aside the merit of the scheme itself. These include the Galway City Outer Bypass which was granted approval by An Bord Pleanála in November 2008, however following a Judicial Review to the High Court and ultimately to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) the scheme was quashed in 2013. The latest iteration for a relief road around the City (N6 Galway City Ring Road) received approval from An Bord Pleanála in December 2021. Three sets of legal proceedings were taken challenging this decision. This resulted in the High Court remitting the scheme back to An Bord Pleanála for further consideration after the Bord was found to have failed to take into account the national Climate Action Plan. The scheme was then formally quashed by the High Court in early 2023.
The proposed Foynes to Limerick Road (incorporating a bypass of Adare) was approved by An Bord Pleanála in August 2022. It too was the subject of three sets of Judicial Review proceedings which resulted in the scheme being halted. It has recently been reported that those Judicial Review proceedings have been withdrawn however progress on the scheme has been delayed for the best part of a year.
The delivery of critical infrastructure which involve CPO powers should rightly be the subject of scrutiny, however, at present it appears that major infrastructural schemes are ‘open season’ for objectors whether they are directly impacted or not. If important infrastructural projects are to be delivered in a timely manner then our view is that the process of seeking consent to allow the scheme progress to construction requires material reform to ensure that the public good trumps individual objections.
Niall Brereton is Director of Professional Services at Bannon and advises Landowners in respect of Compulsory Purchase Orders across a range of infrastructural projects.
24th July 2023
The second quarter proved to be a challenging period for the Irish capital markets sector, with a total value of only €333 million invested. This marks the weakest performing quarter (and half year at sub €1 billion) in the last six years.
This lacklustre landscape can be attributed to three key factors: the end of “free money” as interest rates rise and inflation runs rife, the post-Covid impact of remote and hybrid working on office space demand, and concerns surrounding necessary capital expenditures for ESG (environmental, social and governance) retrofitting amidst rising construction costs.
However, after years in purgatory, it is the retail sector that has emerged as the star performer this quarter, accounting for 38.7 per cent of turnover. Although this performance is partly supported by the downturn in other sectors, there is no doubt that a significant perception shift has occurred, particularly in the retail park segment.
Notably, six retail parks have traded this quarter alone amounting to approximately €116 million including Liffey Valley B&Q, City East, Blackwater, Carlow, Newbridge and Waterford.
The most high-profile of these, Liffey Valley B&Q, which traded to French fund Inter-Gestion REIM for €26.6m, has thrown off a particularly strong equivalent yield in the mid to late 5 per cent range for an asset with a lease that has less than four years to run. This process saw participants such as Realty, Corum and Iroko compete for the asset.
So, what has driven this remarkable change in fortunes?
The “newfound” popularity of the retail sector can be attributed to a slow but building appreciation for what have been long-standing dynamics in both the supply and demand side of the sector. These dynamics differ considerably from the UK and US markets, where Irish retail investor sentiment used to originate.
Unsurprisingly, that core of the demand has shifted to both domestic family offices and a more central European focus where an appreciation for the fundamentals has shown through.
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Since 2011, when the last new shopping centre was completed in Ireland, there has been minimal net additional retail supply. This stands in stark contrast to the substantial expansion witnessed in the office, residential, and industrial sectors.
However, during this period, the number of people employed in Ireland has surged by 37 per cent, retail sales volumes have increased by 38 per cent, and Irish households’ net worth has reached new heights. These are all factors which feed the fundamental sustainability of the retail sector.
When considering the cumulative impact of debt reduction, increased savings, and rising house prices, Irish households are wealthier than ever before, with a net worth surpassing €1 trillion for the first time.
This surpasses the 2007 peak level of €716 billion, which was actually exceeded in the final quarter of 2017. Furthermore, Ireland’s gross debt-to-household income ratio has transitioned from over 200 per cent of the European average in 2011 to being below that European average today.
Combining these fundamentals with the historical correlation between inflation and the growth of retail rents and values, the renewed interest in the sector becomes apparent.
As highlighted by the turnover statistics, retail parks, in particular offer a compelling proposition. They benefit disproportionately from household growth and have proven resilient during economic downturns and the challenges posed by Covid-19.
Additionally, their ability to meet ESG requirements through initiatives like PV panels, rainwater collection, and other environmental measures adds value and attracts investors including new entrants. Similar attributes for high-street properties and grocery-led necessity retail are likely to see further interest in these sectors.
We expect to see numerous quality high-street trades in the third quarter and generally as the environmental benefits of the “centralised-distribution model” reflected by retail warehouses, shopping centres and Ireland’s key high streets becomes apparent.
We are seeing a complete return to pre-Covid footfalls for most the of the regional and necessity-focused schemes with Dublin’s two high streets hitting pre-Covid weekly footfall levels again for the first time last month.
As a consequence, we expect the sector to continue to outperform for the coming quarters with no less than seven shopping centres amounting to over €100 million in value due to trade within the next few weeks.
Rod Nowlan is an executive director at Bannon and heads up its office and capital markets team
The retail sector in Ireland is preparing for the country’s new Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Starting from February 1, 2024, consumers will be required to pay a small deposit (15c/25c) on plastic and aluminium beverage containers, which they can reclaim by returning the empty containers to designated collection points.
The DRS represents a substantial step toward achieving a more sustainable future. In line with the Single Use Plastics Directive, Ireland must ensure the separate collection of 77% of plastic beverage bottles placed on the market by 2025, with a further increase to 90% by 2029.
Many of the collection points will be located in shopping centres. While the primary objective of this scheme is to reduce plastic waste and encourage recycling, shopping centres will experience notable impacts on their operations and customer behaviours. One immediate consequence of the DRS will be the need for shopping centres to accommodate the significant increase in the volume of recycling. To effectively handle this increase, shopping centres will need to assess their existing infrastructure and make necessary adjustments. Proper management and maintenance of these areas in collaboration with recycling partners will be crucial to ensure a smooth and streamlined process.
With just over six months remaining until the implementation of the DRS, the Bannon Property Management Team is observing larger retailers in the firm’s shopping centre portfolio making preparations for in-store returns. While these changes may require initial investments and adjustments, the implementation of the DRS is likely to bring about positive changes in consumer behaviour, including increased footfall. The introduction of the DRS creates an added incentive for consumers to visit shopping centres. This increased footfall can translate into higher customer traffic, benefiting not only the recycling depots but also other retailers within the shopping centre.
By embracing this transition, shopping centre owners can demonstrate their commitment to environmental responsibility, attract socially conscious customers, and contribute to a greener future.
With over 25% of Ireland’s shopping centres under Bannon’s management, the firm is highly focused on implementing best practices that promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact while enhancing the customer user experience. If you would like more information about the DRS or discuss implementing sustainable practices in your properties, contact the Bannon Property Management Team today.
Author: Alex Patterson, Director, Bannon
Date: 13th July 2023
The Government has been grappling with a housing shortage for several years. As the demand for housing continues to outstrip supply, creative solutions are needed to address this pressing issue.
One potential solution that is gaining traction is the conversion of office spaces to residential units. This has come to the fore over the last number of weeks as the Government faces unyielding pressure to tackle the accommodation shortfall. Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is reportedly considering making planning exemptions to rules which would apply to repurposing office space to housing.
In an article in The Irish Times on May 22nd, it was reported that the Minister has “lobbied his Cabinet colleagues Simon Coveney, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, on the issue, seeking his support for a plan that would convert offices built during the recent construction boom but are now underutilised”. The question is, is it feasible to repurpose a recently constructed Dublin office building into residential use?
[ ‘I never imagined such places existed’: What’s it like living in a converted office block? ]
The assumption here is that there is an oversupply of recently built office accommodation in Dublin city centre, but that is simply not the case. Offices built in the boom are in the main environmental, social and governance compliant (ESG-compliant), sustainable buildings. As has been widely reported by many in the property industry, these are and will be the buildings that are in demand for office use. The location of these buildings further enhances their desirability for that use, as we are seeing increased demand for well-located city-centre office buildings due to the availability of employee amenities and unrivalled transport links.
Converting offices into residential units presents an opportunity to address this but there are challenges involved, and as we have seen from other countries, caution is advised for such projects
This movement in the market provides vacant possession to the owner to allow for redevelopment or refurbishment of these brown buildings into ESG-compliant offices or alternative uses. This is where the question of residential conversion is most relevant…residential conversion will be most practical where the office value is lowest and the conversion costs to residential use are more sensible than the cost of “greening” the building for office use. Ultimately, it is about sorting the “wheat from the chaff”.
[ Michael McDowell: Nobody is thinking about the aesthetics of our cities ]
Working with our sister company Evia Sustainability consultants, the Bannon office team is assessing the cost and practicality of bringing older buildings up to standard from a green perspective, and what that entails. If the maths don’t add up – that is, if the cost of greening an office asset exceeds the end value – then the owner is looking at a stranded building which is then a candidate for residential conversion.
Without a doubt, Dublin’s housing shortage necessitates innovative solutions. Converting offices into residential units presents an opportunity to address this but there are challenges involved, and as we have seen from other countries, caution is advised for such projects. Consideration must be given to zoning, building and planning guidelines and regulations. This consideration must relate to the practicality and ability to convert but also to the social factors, with access to amenities, transport, employment opportunities and social connections fundamental for the residents of the schemes and thus their successful transformation.
[ The Irish Times view on turning offices into homes: unlikely to provide a quick solution ]
Embracing this potential solution and implementing it correctly may hold the key to not only helping to solve a housing shortage but also providing options to owners of potentially obsolete office buildings.
Lucy Connolly is divisional director and head of offices at Bannon property consultants
Following a subdued Q1, Dublin office take up for the second quarter of the year reached 440,000 sq.ft. across 57 transactions. This brings the year to date figure to 724,500 sq.ft. Whilst Q2 take up is 53% ahead of Q1 figures, it reflects a H1 decrease of 28% versus the same period last year.
Dublin continues to attract a diverse mix of industries with professional services, finance and State agencies the most active sectors this quarter with TMT lagging behind significantly, accounting for just 6% of total take-up.
This quarter proved to be a challenging period for the Irish Capital Markets sector, with a total value of only €333m. Q2 marks one of the worst performing quarters in the last six years. On a positive note, after years in purgatory, the retail sector has emerged as the star performer for the period, accounting for 38% of turnover. Although this quarter’s relative increase is partly supported by the downturn in other sectors, there is no doubt that a significant perception shift has occurred, particularly in the retail park segment where no less than six retail parks have traded this quarter alone amounting to approx. €116m.
To discuss this, please contact Roderick Nowlan, Alex Patterson, Cillian O’Reilly and George Colyer.
Bannon’s latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live.
In this publication we look at retail occupier activity on Henry Street & O’Connell Street and Neil Bannon discusses the juxtaposition of the vacancies created by Debenhams failure in Ireland and the UK.
To view the full report, please click here.
Irish Consumer confidence improved again in June reflecting a 10.4% y-o-y increase. Tentative signs that food and energy price inflation might have peaked seem to have encouraged a slight easing in concerns around household finances. The exceptionally good weather may have also boosted the mood of many consumers, but the modest monthly gain suggests financial clouds are still hanging heavily over many households and economic sunshine is still hazy for some.
Amid reports of a post-Covid hollowing out of city centres like San Francisco, and to a lesser extent New York and Los Angeles, as retailers suffer the effects of working from home, Ireland’s recovery is gathering pace, and by most measures is now stronger than it was pre-pandemic.
But Ireland too has a high reliance on technology workers, who may also be adopting hybrid working practices, so why is the Irish market performing better than the US, the UK, and many other markets?
I asked retail expert Neil Bannon, Executive Chairman at Bannon, and the first reason is that the US, for example, has six times more retail space per capita, than Ireland.
“Just imagine that we had another six Dundrum Town Centres, Liffey Valley’s, Blanchardstown Town Centres and six times every other shop in Dublin, and that is the scale of the over-supply in America,” he said.
In Ireland there has been no new shopping centre built since 2010 and no new retail park developed since 2007.
While our construction of new homes has been too slow, it has recently hit record levels, and this too, is driving demand.
There are just over two million households in Ireland, he told me, and the Housing for All Plan aims to produce another 300,000 new homes by the end of the decade.
‘In Ireland there has been no new shopping centre built since 2010‘
But there seems to be consensus that we need 500,000 new homes, which represents one new home for every four existing homes, “a staggering increase”, he added.
The impact of this growth is already being seen on Ireland’s 73 retail parks, 20pc of which are managed by Bannon.
Retail parks are the conduit for the overwhelming majority of spending associated with housing, Mr Bannon said – for example couches, TVs, white goods and floor coverings – with 85pc of sales taking place in store, according to Central Statistics Office figures.
“If every house in Ireland spends €2,500 annually on household goods, that’s up to €12.5bn of spend. If 500,000 new homes are built, and the average cost of kitting them out is €25,000, that’s another €5bn of expenditure,” he said.
One result is that Ireland’s retail parks are largely at full occupancy and rents are rising.
“We had expected some fall-off from the post-Covid DIY boom, but in fact, footfall and spending levels are stronger than pre-pandemic,” Mr Bannon said.
‘Ireland’s retail parks are largely at full occupancy and rents are rising.’
The most valuable retail park units were always those few with an ‘open user’ planning consent, permitting, for example, fashion retailers and not one that is just restricted to bulky goods.
However, a shift in the market is that furniture retailers are now out-bidding even open user retailers as evidenced by a deal just signed at Liffey Valley Retail Park where Danish brand JYSK has taken a 10,000 sqft unit plus mezzanine at a rent of approximately €25 per sqft.
That is, Mr Bannon notes, “a 40pc higher rent than pre-Covid”.
JYSK have taken half a dozen 10,000-15,000 sqft units in Ireland and continues to expand.
Another expanding brand that is already operating on several retail parks is EZ Living Furniture which also recently rented a 10,000 sqft unit plus mezzanine at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.
It is not just the Dublin area as Limerick One Shopping Park has also seen new outdoor clothing and equipment retailer Mountain Warehouse recently lease a 7,000 sqft unit at approximately €28 per sqft.
The theme for the year ahead is “competition for space among brands and rising rents”, Mr Bannon concluded.
The effect hybrid working and ESG has, or will have, on office demand from office occupier, investor and owner standpoints cannot be considered in isolation. These influences must be considered within the wider office market ecosystem and how they operate in tandem to drive occupier decision making at lease event dates. The Covid Pandemic brought an instantaneous change to how we work whereas ESG requirements and regulations have been coming into the market at a steadier rate. While there is also uncertainty around the future of working models, that can be adapted and changed rapidly, there is no uncertainty about the increasingly important and dominant role ESG will play in the office sector. The ESG roll out will be slower and changes can be anticipated, however the ability to bring the stock to standard is a far more timely and resource intensive exercise.
Hybrid working for businesses will effectively assess how staff utilise office space as a resource to produce output. Ultimately it is the company who can decide how to implement their working models and the decisions will be led by the type of work carried out by the business, the need to attract and retain talent and the model that allows the business to grow and produce output efficiently. Both staff and workspace are a factor of production for a business and how the two are utilised against each other effectively to generate product should ultimately be the key focus of any commercial business. This should craft the post-pandemic workplace in the years ahead and this will likely differ industry by industry.
ESG considerations will continue to become more prominent drivers in the decision-making process for both occupiers, owners and investors. Currently, ESG in commercial real estate is very much lead by the private and financial markets, with factors such as corporate mandates and lender requirements influencing the demand for ESG grade space. It is envisaged that the regulatory environment (in an EU context) around occupation and investment will become more scrutinous and this will further drive the demand (and requirement) for ESG grade space in the future.
Occupiers will be looking into the impacts, whether they be positive of negative, that revised working models have on their ability to create an attractive and productive workspace as well as any ESG led requirements that are being implemented on a company specific or regulatory basis. The implementation of these will likely crystallise at either a lease break or expiry where spatial requirements can be most practically revised. Property owners will have to be cognisant of their occupiers’ requirements against key lease dates and how these correspond with asset management strategies to protect both the rental and market value of the building. Alternatively, investors must consider how to preserve or improve on an asset’s income at purchase or where opportunities may lie in bringing brown buildings into a green market.
Bannon have a suite of services available to assist CRE owners, occupiers and investors in strategic real estate decisions and ESG insights. Please feel free to reach out to discuss by emailing consultancy@bannon.ie.
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 16th June 2023
Bannon’s latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live. In this publication Neil Bannon shares some insights on what impact significant new housing supply will have on the retail sector.
To view the full report, please click here.
Environmental, Sustainable & Governance (ESG) requirements for buildings are becoming of increasing importance to both investors and occupiers for buildings. There is no doubt that ESG will become an increasingly prevalent element within the commercial real estate (CRE) landscape, becoming an important driver of asset value. This means current owners will be facing important considerations. How do you attract good quality occupiers, achieve strong rents and ensure a competitive market of buyers for your asset at exit. ESG-led objectives are becoming increasingly commonplace in investment and fund criteria for institutional real estate owners. As these owners are significant sources of capital in CRE markets a likely result will be a somewhat forced divestment from ‘brown’ assets (non-ESG compliant assets) and a channelling of capital towards ‘green’ (ESG compliant) assets.
The market is not balanced, green assets in Ireland are typically buildings constructed or extensively refurbished after the 2014 Building Regulations came into play. We estimate that the green market comprises less than 15% of Dublin’s office stock, with the majority of this space located in Dublin 2 and Sandyford, the prime office locations. With multiple players competing for a limited supply of stock and available capital being funnelled into this small sector an expectation is prices will be driven up by competitive bidding in both the investor and occupier markets. The net effect of these events will be an increase in asset value through growth income complimented by strong occupier covenants and yield compression.
By contrast, we expect a shift in the brown asset market. Company mandates or client requirements will oblige some occupiers to occupy green buildings, seeing the demand for brown space shrink and the market becoming increasingly oversupplied. The pressures resulting from falling demand and increased void costs, will create a lower rent environment. An exit of institutional grade investors will see the demand drop for these buildings with ESG rules preventing purchase. The remaining investors will have to consider the cost and value associated with bringing an asset into the green market. While the market for this in prime locations may be viable, there are greater challenges for suburban/out of centre locations where the end rental value that can be achieved may not support viability of refurbishment.
Rescuing these potentially stranded buildings represents an opportunity for investors and developers and Bannon working with our sustainability business Evia are available to provide technical insights to ESG building upgrades. Feel free to reach out to discuss.
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 9th June 2023
The Irish consumer market continues to showcase its strength and resilience. According to the latest report by CSO unemployment has hit a record low of 3.8%, while weekly earnings have reached a new high of €923.48.
This remarkable achievement is even more significant when considering that seasonally adjusted unemployment is now 50% lower than its peak during the Covid pandemic two years ago. Furthermore, the Irish labour force has surpassed 2.7 million for the first time in recorded history, and average weekly earnings are 20% higher than pre-Covid levels. With such positive indicators, the outlook for the Irish retail market is incredibly promising.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has led to a paradigm shift in the traditional approach to office-based work. Following the initial ‘work from home’ requirements during the Pandemic, many businesses have since adopted alternative working models away from the traditional ‘in the office at your desk’ to models such as shifting staff to full work from home, flexible working options and hybrid working models.
The widespread shift to more flexible and agile working models has moved the concept of ‘work’ from a physical place to an activity. The net effect of this does not mitigate the need for a physical office, rather it changes the role and function the office plays in the business and how the space is utilised to meet staff working habits and models and drive business goals. While the full effect of Covid-19 on working models is yet to be seen, the consensus of many businesses and organisations has been to adopt a form of hybrid working to give staff more flexibility and that this is required in order to maintain and attract talent.
Hybrid working models will not necessarily impact an office development’s occupational capacity, rather it allows the building to attract occupiers with larger workforces. For example, if a development with a capacity for 1,000 workers is occupied by a business that implements a 50/50 split between WFH and office, the scheme can, in theory support an occupier with a 2,000 strong workforce. In practice this may be less as businesses will require full attendance by teams at different times and we have already seen the TWT (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) phenomenon at play as workers prefer to work from home on Mondays & Fridays. Despite this, the classic rule of thumb of allocating 10-15 sq.m. of space per employee to gauge an occupier’s spatial requirement is clearly being challenged. Paradoxically, there may be a positive spin off for the locations where these offices are located as the total number of distinct visitors during the week increases.
There is still uncertainty around the long-term effect of Covid-19 on long term office working models. This is manifesting itself in the leasing environment through shifting occupier space requirements, greater lease flexibility and increased demand for fitted-out spaces. Businesses will use lease events such as expiries and break options to rationalise their workplaces to reflect their adopted work models. As workplaces continue to adapt and adopt modern working practises it is important for occupiers to be cognisant of the spatial requirements needed to accommodate and attract the modern workforce and for investors and owners to be cognisant of the effect these work models will affect demand levels and lease events.
If you wish to discuss developments in the office markets further, please contact offices@bannon.ie.
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 2nd June 2023
Bannon’s latest Office Pulse is now live.
Take up for the first quarter of the year reached 278,000 sq.ft. across 45 transactions, representing a 45% decrease on Q1 2022. Deal sizes have decreased this quarter with 76% of transactions falling into the sub 5,000 sq.ft. bracket resulting in an average deal size of 6,300 sq.ft. Lease flexibility continues to be the dominant driver in demand. There is over 600,000 sq.ft. currently reserved (71 Transactions) which should boost Q2 figures.
See full details below together with expert insight from Lucy Connolly and Cillian O’Reilly.
To view the full report, please click here.
HMV reopening in their original Henry Street store is great news for the Street! More new store openings to follow…
The Dublin office market is experiencing a game of musical chairs as environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and policies drive office occupiers to relocate to more sustainable, greener buildings. This has been further accelerated by changing occupier demands. It has created a redevelopment and refurbishment opportunity that attracts occupiers from older, so-called brown buildings.
Many owners and occupiers recognise the opportunity to achieve their ESG goals and policies while reducing occupational costs. Moreover, the ability to attract high-quality occupiers is only possible with a green building. The game of musical chairs provides vacant possession to allow the redevelopment or refurbishment of brown buildings, thus enhancing the value of the asset.
One example of this trend is AIB’s decision to vacate Irish Life’s 1 Adelaide Road base and consolidate to 10 Molesworth Street. This move allowed Deloitte, which occupies Deloitte & Touche House on Earlsfort Terrace, to commit to the redeveloped 1 Adelaide Road. As a result, the Earlsfort Terrace property will become available to Iput for its proposed redevelopment.
[ Older office buildings can be as good as new. They’re often even better ]
Another example is the relocation of An Garda Siochana from its Harcourt Street headquarters to the recently completed Walter Scott House on Military Road. Hibernia Real Estate Group swiftly demolished the building, paving the way for the construction of Harcourt Square, which will become KPMG’s new Dublin office upon completion. This shift will result in Kennedy Wilson achieving vacant possession of KPMG’s office on Stokes Place, which received the green light from An Bord Pleanála earlier this year.
Waterfront South Central in Dublin’s north docklands is set to become the new European headquarters of Citi Group. The deal was made with Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), which acquired Citi Group’s premises at 1 North Wall Quay. The current premises will no doubt be redeveloped or refurbished and reintroduced to the market as a green building.
Aside from the discussed redevelopment opportunities, there are significant quantities of grey space available, including Fibonacci Square, which is being leased by Meta; 1 Cumberland Place, leased by Twitter; and 2 and 3 Wilton Park, leased by LinkedIn. This Grade A ESG-compliant space will undoubtedly be involved in the next round of musical chairs in the Dublin office market. As occupiers of older buildings take up this space, it will free up further development opportunities. The attractiveness of these options to developers will depend on the specifics of the building, location, floor-to-ceiling heights, and the practicality and cost of upgrading them to either new offices or alternative uses.
The game of musical chairs has created opportunities for owners and occupiers to achieve their ESG goals and policies while simultaneously reducing occupational costs. This trend also presents an exciting opportunity for the redevelopment and refurbishment of brown buildings and the enhancement of asset value.
Lucy Connolly is divisional director and head of offices at Bannon
Bannon’s latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live.
In this publication Neil Bannon discusses the up to date retail sales figures recently published by the CSO and how Irish consumers continue to confound predictions.looks at the stark decrease in the household debt to income ratio and what this might mean for the retail sector
To view the full report, please click here.
The Bannon Property Management Team has continued its growth from 2022 with a number of new instructions across the island. Q1 of 2023 has started off on the same footing with a number of new hires across the surveying and accounts team. Bannon now manages more than 1 in 4 of Irelands Shopping Centres & Retail Parks welcoming over 100 million customers every year. While the majority of our instructions are retail (Shopping Centres or Retail Parks), we also manage an increasing number of office buildings, most particularly in Dublin. This has required the team to focus on the sustainability aims of our clients and putting in place projects to achieve the goals.
The department has a 40-strong team of surveyors and accountants from 10 counties across Ireland. This is representative of the portfolio as we manage assets across all 4 provinces as we continue to grow our presence as a nationwide business.
The Bannon Head Office is based in Dublin, however, the firm adopts a hybrid working model for the Property Management Team. In several cases our surveyors live and work in the locality of the assets they manage.
The geographical spread of the Bannon portfolio and the surveyors who work with them, give us unique insights into the locality in which assets are located. Local knowledge is essential to ensure that the needs of local customers are met.
With recent instructions in Cork City and Cork County Bannon now has a major presence in the Cork market. This is in addition to new shopping centre management instructions in Waterford and Kilkenny.
If you want to talk to the Bannon team about managing a commercial property asset or are interested in joining Ireland’s fastest growing property management team, please check out www.bannon.ie.
Author: William Lambe, Divisional Director, Bannon
Date: 4th May 2023
When the team at Bannon decided last year to organise a fundraiser for Cancer Trials Ireland in memory of their colleague Louise Creevy (née Doherty) who had sadly passed away, they thought it would be a one-off event. Such was the success of the Property Picnic, however, more than 650 guests from across the industry turned up for the gathering at 1WML in the Windmill Quarter and raised €170,087 in the process.
Given the picnic’s popularity, and with the funding raised contributing to trials in which 144 cancer patients in Ireland got to avail of cutting-edge treatments that they could not otherwise have accessed, and at no cost to themselves or the State, it’s hardly surprising that the event is back on this year. Keystone sponsorship for this year’s Property Picnic is being provided by Hibernia Real Estate Group, MCR, Core Capital, Matheson, Mastertech, and Glass Bottle (RGRE and Lioncor). Tickets for the event, which takes place on May 18th at 1WML in the Windmill Quarter, Dublin 2, cost €55 with an additional booking fee of €5.
Commenting on the importance of events such as Property Picnic to her organisation’s work, Cancer Trials Ireland chief executive Eibhlín Mulroe said: “Cancer Trials offer treatment options to patients. First and foremost, that is why many doctors working in cancer in Ireland seek to get patients on to trials.
“Within that, fundraisers like the Property Picnic help Cancer Trials Ireland to open a very important category of cancer clinical trials known as ‘investigator-led’ – read ‘doctor-led’ – trials. These trials are non-commercial. The research questions they ask are driven by patient need rather than commercial reasons.
“Last year, Property Picnic funds went towards four such investigator-led trials. Two of the trials were breast cancer trials, one in HER2-positive breast cancer, affecting one in five women in Ireland with breast cancer, the other in triple-negative breast cancer, affecting one in eight women, and is more common in younger women. The other two trials were in prostate cancer – one trial for previously untreated high-risk, localised prostate cancer, and the other for progressive, metastatic (ie cancer that has spread from where it first formed) prostate cancer.
“With the Property Picnic’s help, Cancer Trials Ireland was able to close out three of these trials, and in one case (the high-risk, localised prostate cancer study) present findings at a prestigious international cancer conference earlier this year, which showed the trial did achieve its primary objective of reducing prostate gland volume.”
Local authorities across the country have been historically dependent on commercial rates for a significant proportion of their yearly income. It is estimated that commercial rates are worth approximately €1.5 billion annually to the local government sector. As of 2019 the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage reported that rates income typically represents between 20% to 30% of local authority income. The highest proportion was derived in Fingal County Council with rates revenue representing 52% of total income for that year. The proportion of rates income to total revenue is likely to increase further with the move by some local authorities to substantially reduce the vacancy credit available to owners of unoccupied commercial properties.
Since 2017 the vacancy refund allowable by Dublin City Council has been reduced from 50% to nil, meaning an owner is obliged to pay the entire commercial rates bill attached to a property regardless of whether it is occupied or not. The corresponding vacancy relief available from the other Dublin Local Authorities for the current year are as follows; Fingal 30%, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown 35% and South Dublin 50%.
For properties situated outside the main urban local authority areas landlords typically had no commercial rates liability for vacant properties. However, with Carlow County Council opting to reduce the maximum level of vacancy credit available to 50% for 2023, other local authorities across the country may follow suit. This changing landscape should cause owners and investors to closely consider the financial liabilities associated with holding vacant commercial properties. Depending on the nature of the property in question, options which may be open to owners to reduce their liability could include undertaking works to put the property beyond beneficial use or seek a change of planning to residential use.
For more information and advice regarding reducing your commercial rates liability contact Niall Brereton, Director of Professional Services.
Author: Niall Brereton, Director, Bannon
Date: 3rd May 2023
Neil Bannon comments ‘Another confirmation that the retail sector is defying gloomy predictions this time from Dublin MasterCard Spending Pulse. Sales are up YoY in all categories from Necessities to Entertainment. The data accords with results from the Bannon retail portfolio and indicates strong growth across the Country. Particularly interesting to see Household Goods holding onto and adding to the gains made in the pandemic with sales in the sector now 25% above where they were in Q 1 2020’.
Full Irish Times Article available here.
At Bannon we analyse two types of sustainability, environmental sustainability attributes and the sustainability of an asset’s income. Sustainability of income is important as this considers the ability of the Occupier of the asset to pay rent to the Owner based upon the business they carry out in the building. Gaining an insight into this allows an Owner to understand whether they will maintain or improve income on the occurrence of lease events such as break clauses and expiries and also assess how solid or otherwise their income is in the context of market conditions and the implementation of asset strategy. The asset class that gives an Owner the greatest opportunity to use this analysis is retail where the performance of the business within the shop is directly relevant to the stability of income the Owner receives.
Understanding the strength of the rental income by analysing the trading and commercial performance of the rent paying occupiers puts the Investor in the strongest position to negotiate and regear lease terms, react to market requirements and devise and implement strategic asset goals. Bannon carry out rental sustainability analysis for schemes utilising our depth of retail asset and occupier specific data. The occupier’s current position will be further validated by their wider commercial performance and the effect both macro and micro economic conditions may have on the occupiers and their ability to perform.
The sustainable performance of an occupier is a key consideration for maintaining and forecasting income over the period of ownership. This gives our clients a clear advantage is assessing the value of an asset and looking at acquisition opportunities. The value of retail assets, especially shopping centres, has been depressed for some time despite their proven track record of producing strong predictable cashflows. Adopting sustainable rental analysis allows our client to see past the negative sentiment and acquire income producing assets at low cost when compared to other real estate investments.
A comprehensive understanding on a schemes rental sustainability can inform decision making when devising and asset strategy and inform cashflow forecasting. This can aide in de-risking cash flow line items for owners over their ownership period. Understanding rental sustainability can serve as a means of curating the schemes occupier mix and planning strategic initiatives. Overall, the ability to enhance the knowledge and understanding of income for the owner serves as a means to promote good asset management and to improve income over the term of ownership.
If you would like to know more about Bannon’s approach to rental sustainability analysis and how it can strengthen your asset strategy, please get in touch @ Consutancy@bannon.ie.
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 17th April 2023
A Green Lease is a commercial lease, containing additional clauses that the building must be occupied, operated and managed in an environmentally sustainable manner. The concept of a Green Lease was first developed in Australia where its use has been mandatory since 2006 in all government-owned and occupied buildings. In France, Green Lease legislation has been mandatory since 2013. Globally, 42% of investors have Green Lease clauses in place with an additional 37% looking to adopt them by 2025. On the occupational side, 34% of occupiers are currently committed to Green Leases.
Green Lease clauses can range from ‘light green’ to ‘dark green’ depending on the nature of the property, and energy performance certifications. The essential elements of a Green Lease include:
For both Owners and Occupiers, a Green Lease encourages a relationship of collaboration and meets corporate social responsibility objectives.
What are the benefits of a Green Lease?
For the Owner
For the Occupier
Green leasing provides an effective framework for both Owners and Occupiers to work together to achieve a common objective and comply with future legislative requirements. A sustainable building with lower running costs is more marketable for Owners and more cost-effective for Occupiers to occupy. Given the evolving nature of Green Leases, it is prudent to take legal and professional advice before entering such leases to ensure that the provisions are suitable for your organisation.
If you want to discuss the sustainability dynamics of the Irish Commercial property market further contact the Consultancy Team @ Bannon.
Author: Cillian O’Reilly, Surveyor, Sustainability Manager, Bannon
Date: 11th April 2023
The Q1 2023 Bannon Investment Pulse is now available providing a succinct summary of the Capital Markets transactions starting off the year.
With the Residential sector a surprising resilient highlight the total turnover of €625m is reflective of the current subdued sentiment in the market.
For more information or to talk on the opportunities available please get in touch; Roderick Nowlan, Alex Patterson, George Colyer, Cillian O’Reilly
One doesn’t have to go back too far into the archives to find headlines relating to markets in Dublin. Recent headlines include the uses of the Fruit & Veg Markets in the north inner city, the future (or fate) of the Iveagh Markets in The Liberties and plans for a market use at CHQ alongside EPIC, Europe’s leading tourist attraction (World Travel Awards). With the concept such a visited topic one looks to examples, both here and abroad, of where markets exist in cities as major attractions, creating hubs of activity that provide a platform to promote local, independent businesses, producers and suppliers and exhibit the tastes and cuisines of the area.
In Ireland, the most prominent example is of course Cork’s famous English Markets. Developed and owned by the Council, this traditional food market first opened in 1788 and remains as a hub of retail activity, with independent, local stallholders (some generations old, others local start-ups) selling a variety of fresh food and artisanal goods. While the dominance of a grocery offer suggests the target clientele are largely locals, a combination of atmosphere and architecture makes the market a major attraction for the City.
The Time Out Market in Lisbon is considered as a must-do when visiting the Portuguese capital. The market was founded by the publishing company with a vision to showcase the best business ideas and projects in Lisbon. The market now contains restaurants, shops, bars and a music venue alongside fruit & veg, meat, fish and flower vendors. London’s Camden Market has developed into a retail, food & drink destination in London, comprising over 1,000 shops, stalls and stands with an array of unique independent offers. Other examples include Mercado in London and Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid.
A common theme of these markets is the presence of independent, local operators. These operators allow the markets offer something unique and different from the traditional high street or shopping centre mix. The artisan nature of these vendors can serve to promote the markets as a tourist destination where visitors can experience local cuisine and support local producers. The planning submitted for the proposed market offer at CHQ is an opportunity for an exciting market offer to break into Dublin and the recent pop-up, Me Auld Flower market in the Fruit & Veg Market in Smithfield as part of the St Patrick’s Day Festival may indicate that more exciting development lies ahead.
If you want to discuss the retail dynamics of City & Town Centre further you can contact us @consultancy@bannon.ie
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 3rd April 2023
“The ship has reached the shore,” United Nations conference president Rena Lee announced after a marathon final day of talks between negotiators from more than 100 countries.
Ocean ecosystems keep our planet in balance by producing nearly half of the earth’s oxygen and absorbing much of its carbon dioxide but they are under threat from pollution, exploitation and global warming. After 15 years of negotiations, the UN High Seas Treaty which will help to protect vast swathes of the planet’s oceans was agreed in New York on Saturday. The high seas, or the parts of the ocean that are not territorial waters, do not technically belong to anyone and account for 60% of the earths oceans. Only a mere 1% of the high seas are currently protected. The treaty places 30% of the world’s land and sea under protection by the end of 2030, a target known as “30 by 30”.
The next step for the treaty is signing by UN member states and formal adoption after which countries will have to look at practically how these measures would be implemented and managed. This phase may take some time, however, the agreement of the High Seas Treaty is a major milestone as we look towards a greener future.
Bannon’s latest Office Pulse is now live!
This month’s Office Pulse includes expert market insights from Lucy Connolly and Cillian O’Reilly. In this edition we ask; As tech sector expansion slows down, is this the end of the super deal? We also look at the data behind a two-tier occupational office letting market.
To view the full report, please click here.
Bannon’s latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live.
In this publication we look at what has been an encouraging start for our retail leasing team with significant impetus carrying forward from 2022. Our footfall trackers also indicate a positive start to the year with January data for our shopping centre portfolio tracking almost in line with 2019 levels. Finally Neil Bannon looks at the stark decrease in the household debt to income ratio and what this might mean for the retail sector
To view the full report, please click here.
Neil Bannon joined Newstalk Bobby Kerr on Down to Business on Saturday to discuss what we might do to attract the investment our towns and cities need right now.
To listen to the full podcast, click here.
The first Bannon Dublin Office Market Pulse of 2023 is now live. Dublin office market take up exceeded 2,650,000 sq.ft. in 2022, boosted by a busy Q4 with over 804,000 sq.ft. transacting in the final quarter. See full details below together with expert insight from Lucy Connolly.
To view the full report, please click here.
Davy Real Estate has appointed Ireland’s largest, domestically owned commercial property consultancy firm Bannon, to manage Harbour Place Shopping Centre in Mullingar. The shopping centre which was opened in the mid-1990s comprises in excess of 100,000 sq. ft. of retail floor space and is anchored by Dunnes Stores. Other notable occupiers include Boots, Paul Byron Shoes, C.R. Tormey Butchers, Carraig Donn, Claire’s Accessories, Peter Mark, Holland and Barrett & Esquires.
Bannon manages over 55 retail shopping centres and retail parks across the country, covering seven million sq. ft. of commercial real estate worth c. €2 billion. As the market leader, Bannon has advised and managed the country’s most notable retail spaces in the last thirty years such as Dundrum Town Centre, Blanchardstown S.C., Swords Pavilions and The Square.
Commenting on the appointment, Director of the Bannon Property Management team, Ray Geraghty said “We are extremely proud to be working with Davy Real Estate on this important asset, and we look forward to working closely with the centre management team and occupiers. This instruction has particular significance for me given that Mullingar is my hometown. The midlands is going from strength to strength and we are proud to be supporting this growth. The appointment further validates the position we in Bannon hold as market leaders of retail property management in Ireland.”
One of the main attractions in Melbourne, Australia is undeniably its City Centre laneways. Once existing as purely functional areas, in the 1990’s the Government introduced policies to reimagine Melbourne’s laneways. The aim was to create exciting cultural and retail destinations in the Central Business District (CBD) to draw activity back into the city from suburban shopping centres.
The local policy promotes the inclusion of art, landscaping, street furniture and activity space to bring vibrancy with al fresco dining adding to this atmosphere. New developments are encouraged to provide small-scale tenancies at ground level to support a unique trading environment. The laneways are characterised by an abundance of local independent operators. These operators benefit from a city centre location without the cost of main street rents, adding diversity to the city’s retail core.
The policy in Melbourne recognises four core values that support the laneways’ success in attracting pedestrian movement and activating underutilised space.
So what can we learn from these policies for our cities in Ireland? Laneways are a common feature within Irish cities and towns. They are generally associated with servicing, bins, and anti-social behaviour, causing them to deflect rather than attract activity. We can see from policies introduced in Melbourne, that there is an opportunity to enhance our laneways while supporting our cities. They could act as extensions of retail streets, encouraging the circulation of shoppers, dwell zones and a destination for unique retail and food and beverage offers.
Led by policy, we can create vibrant and exciting spaces in Irish city centres. The Bannon Consultancy Team highlighted these opportunities in a Retail Study carried out for the Dublin City Council Development Plan 2022 – 2028. The private sector can play a role. Property owners with significant frontage to a laneway could activate and provide an exciting new space for the public to enjoy, creating rental value from previously underutilised space. We need to think creatively to develop our cities.
Author: George Colyer, Surveyor, Bannon
Date: 31st January 2023
For the property sector, while one of strongest capital market years on record (second only to 2019), 2022 will be best remembered as the “year of reckoning”. A year where a mixture of macro-economic and geopolitical issues combined to commence rebasing the market following almost a decade of effectively zero interest rates, low inflation, and expansive monetary policies.
To view the full report, please click here.
Changing spending patterns saw retail sales in December 2022 fall marginally from November figures indicating the traditional Christmas rush has turned into more of a marathon than a sprint. Annualised figures (excl. motors) show a strong increase in sales values of 7.88% albeit a nominal increase in volumes of 0.16%. This reflects the ongoing price inflation which saw the cross over in the value and volume indexes last year. The data also shows a strong shift away from household and electrical which enjoyed a stellar performance during periods when other retail outlets were closed due to COVID restrictions.
The first Bannon Pulse of 2023 is now live. We look back at the strong level of activity in 2022, highlighted by the large number of lettings and new market entrants. Our occupancy trackers finished 2022 in positive form, as did our trading analysis across the retail categories. Neil Bannon gives his take on the market concluding that, ‘The opportunity for informed investors is to acquire retail assets with robust performance but priced to reflect a negative narrative’.
To view the full report, please click here.
For the property sector, while one of strongest capital market years on record (second only to 2019), 2022 will be best remembered as the “year of reckoning”. A year where a mixture of macro-economic and geopolitical issues combined to commence rebasing the market following almost a decade of effectively zero interest rates, low inflation, and expansive monetary policies.
See the high-level Bannon summary of 2022 in Bannon’s first Investment Pulse of 2023!
Dublin Office market take up for 2022 exceeded the ten year moving average figure and surpassed 2,600,000 sq.ft. by year end. This figure was boosted by a busy Q4 with over 804,000 sq.ft. transacting in the final quarter of the year. This was largely attributable to the two largest transactions of the year, Citigroup’s acquisition of 300,000 sq.ft. at Waterfront South Central and SMBC Aviation Capital’s leasing of 135,000 sq.ft. at Fitzwilliam 28.
Whilst not back to pre-covid levels, take up has increased by 53% on 2021 figures and we are seeing further stability in the market with an upsurge in activity from the Professional services and financial sectors.
Our final Retail Pulse of 2022 has just gone live. All in all, an exceptionally busy year for the team at Bannon. 2023 is looking very promising for Retail.
Neil Bannon concludes this Retail Pulse with 10 Reasons to be Cheerful about the Retail Landscape in Ireland (page 4).
To view the full report, please click here.
Bannon’s latest monthly Retail Pulse has now gone live. Neil Bannon looks at recent retail sales data to demonstrate how the negative narrative continues to clash with reality.
To view the full report, please click here.
The environment and climate change were once again the centre of attention for world leaders and delegates last month at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27. Taking place in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh, the conference welcomed more than 100 Heads of State and Governments and over 35,000 participants.
One of the major talking points of COP27 was greenwashing. Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s actions and/or products are environmentally sound. The UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities evaluated climate commitments and action plans of large multinational institutions finding one-third of the world’s 2,000 largest firms, by revenue, have publicly stated net zero goals. A staggering 93% of them have no chance of hitting their self-elected targets without drastically ramping up their current initiatives.
Coinciding with COP27 and in contrast to the greenwashing mentioned above, retailers including H&M, Kering and Inditex committed to purchasing over half a million tonnes of low-carbon alternative fibres for clothing and packaging to help reduce global emissions. It is reported that every tonne of clothing produced using alternative fibres will save between 4 and 15 tonnes of carbon emission. This commitment may provide the market pull required to attract investment to scale the alternative fibre sector which currently accounts for a tiny fraction (7.5 million tonnes) of man-made fibres produced each year.
The big question remains, can countries and institutions step up their efforts in tackling climate change?
Blog post written by Cillian O’Reilly, our Sustainability Manager. You can contact Cillian by email on coreilly@bannon.ie
The impact of macroeconomic changes on the property sector being discussed at The National Property Summit 2022 today.
Our Chairman Neil Bannon will be discussing the commercial property sector with Suzie Nolan from Aviva, Vincent Harney and Carol Tallon from Property District.
The Bannon Dublin Office Market report is available now. Take up for the third quarter reached 819,000 sq.ft. representing a 60% increase on Q2 and a 77% increase in the same period last year. Lease flexibility continues to be sought in the short term as companies continue to assess their office requirements as remote and hybrid models are fully determined.
We are seeing an increase in activity from the financial and professional services sectors, many of whom are seeking to satisfy their ESG policies in terms of their real estate decisions.
To view the full report, please click here.
A contentious and topical issue for some time now, the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) will impact a range of stakeholders across the development land sector. The RZLT, which was introduced in the Finance Act 2021 effectively replaces the Vacant Site Levy, with a similar objective of increasing the supply of residential accommodation.
As an annual tax charge, it will be calculated at 3% of the market value of land zoned suitable for residential development which is or can be readily serviced. Each local authority is obliged to generate a residential zoned land tax map, with draft maps published from the start of November 2022.
Land suitable for residential development from the 1st of January 2022 and development not commenced prior to the 1st of February 2024 will be liable for taxation. Landowners seeking to be omitted from the tax have until the 1st of January 2023 to make an appeal to their Local Authority. Impacted landowners will be expected to self-assess or engage with a registered valuer to conclude the market value of their land in anticipation of the 23rd of May 2024 tax return date.
The limited circumstances under which the RZLT may be deferred include the following:
– Planning permission has been granted in respect of the residential land and a commencement notice, in respect of the residential development, has been lodged with the relevant Local Authority.
– If an appeal relating to the inclusion of the site on the register has not yet been determined.
– Judicial review or appeal to An Bord Pleanála is brought by a third party in relation to the planning permission that was granted.
For more information on the potential implications of RZLT contact nbrereton@bannon.ie.
There is a puzzle which involves moving the one empty space around a collection of tiles to make the correct image and it comes to mind when looking at the near-term future of the Dublin Office market.
The headline stats on the office market will tell you that there is 5.6m sq.ft. under construction but that 2.2m of it is pre-let. What these stats hide is that some of that pre-let space is actually available. Take 2 & 3 Wilton Place which are currently being built by IPUT for LinkedIn who have advised the market that they no longer want to occupy these buildings. IPUT’s investment is secure as the buildings are effectively let to a Microsoft business who are legally committed but from the market perspective 330,000 sq.ft. has just moved from the pre-let column to the available to let column and it’s not just buildings that are under construction. As agents on the redevelopment of the ESB headquarters we pre-let 28 Fitzwilliam Place to the tech company Slack subsequently selling the investment to the large European Investors Amundi. Slack were subsequently bought by Salesforce and 28 Fitzwilliam although fully complete since 2021 has never been occupied. To these examples can be added the buildings in the Facebook / Meta HQ in Ballsbridge which they have decided not to occupy although it is not clear that they will be bringing these to the leasing market or just mothball them for the time being.
What this adds up to is a much greater availability of brand-new top-grade office stock than the headline stats would suggest. We have no doubt that all this brand new ESG compliant stock will be occupied. They are good quality buildings in good locations that comply with the sustainability needs of large corporate occupiers. What it will do however is speed up the movement of the tiles around the board. It accelerates the ability of large corporate occupiers currently residing in non ESG compliant buildings to move to the buildings they need. When the image is complete the empty tiles will correspond to the older non ESG compliant buildings which will need to be upgraded, converted to alternative uses or generate a much lower rent than they have achieved heretofore.
At Bannon the Office & Consultancy teams are actively working with clients to solve the more complex problem, how to generate the best return from well located office stock that fails the sustainability test.
Author: Neil Bannon, Executive Chairman, Bannon
Date: 14th November 2022
Join Neil Bannon at the upcoming National Property Summit 2022 on 1st December discussing the latest challenges and opportunities facing Irish commercial property with this expert panel.
Whatever the short balance of the year has in store, there is little doubt that in 2022 a rubicon was crossed for assets that are not scoring well with their ESG credentials. The RICS made sure valuers took the step to acknowledge the importance of ESG credentials on buildings and their impact on values with the publication of a new guidance note effective from January this year. Also in 2022, more than ever, both occupiers and owners made known their absolute preference for ESG compliant buildings. In the office sector in Q3 over 85% of city take-up related to ESG compliant offices.
The Bannon Professional Services team has embraced the RICS Valuation Practice Guidance Note titled ‘Sustainability and ESG in Commercial Property Valuation and Strategic Advice’ in undertaking our valuations. In doing so we demonstrate how we have considered sustainability and ESG credentials in our valuation approach, calculations and commentary.
Our experience in 2022 is that the majority of owners have come to realise the importance of ESG credentials in terms of how they influence value. For some owners, mainly outside of the more professional participants, there is still the ‘unknown’ in terms of the actual cost to rectify their asset where there is a deficiency. In relation to older assets where there is a shortfall in data it has been necessary for us to ask for specialist third party inputs, primarily in relation to the cost of bringing the asset up to an acceptable ESG standard. On some of those occasions we have been challenged with the findings as, often is the case, the cost of the upgrade is not supported by a corresponding uplift in value. This is more typical where the asset is in a secondary location. In those circumstances we have then also looked at alternative uses or otherwise materially adjusted the carrying value.
All said, valuing properties which have a shortfall in terms of being a credible ESG asset requires an in-depth understanding of a myriad of factors. They include market variables, competition from compliant buildings, and costs.
We have learned a lot in the past 24 months, but with much more to learn as the focus on ESG continues with pace. The benchmark that buildings must reach in terms of a new rating post being redeveloped is still unclear. Also, whilst valuers will request a lot from owners as part of their due diligence, in many cases definitive answers are not yet available. What we do now know is that the value gap will continue to widen between those that do offer enhanced ESG credentials and those that don’t.
Author: Paul Doyle, Managing Director, Bannon
Date: 10th November 2022
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