Insights & Reports

Thought leading insights, research and events that define our markets

Insights
Reports
Events

Insights 29.07.26

MHCLG has published the draft statutory instrument that will deliver the borough CIL relief announced in the Homes for London package in October 2025.

London's time-limited CIL relief: More details on the emergency measures

Insights 29.07.26

A streamlined and more strategic London Plan was one of the main promises in the run-up to its release. Certainly, the London Plan is shorter, and it has significantly fewer policies. That does not mean that it seeks to exert less control on development.

Navigating the New Draft London Plan: Design and Car Parking Policies

Insights 22.07.26

The Mayor published the Draft London Plan on 16 July 2026, opening a 13-week consultation that runs until 15 October 2026.

The Draft London Plan’s Green Belt Strategy: Does It Go Far Enough?

Insights 19.07.26

BIO 2026 in San Diego was a timely reminder that international life sciences growth is driven by the partnerships, capability and capital that allow science to become companies, clinical evidence and products, real estate is not the driver of this but one of the enablers.

Bio 2026 & San Diego Life Sciences

Insights 19.07.26

The Mayor's new draft London Plan sets a ten-year housing target of around 558,000 homes, roughly a third below the government's assessed need for the capital. In the first of a daily release this week, we examine what the numbers mean for landowners, developers and investors.

The 292,000-home question: what the Draft London Plan's housing numbers really tell us

Insights 16.07.26

Upward-only rent review clauses are a common feature of commercial leases. They allow rent to increase, or remain the same, at review, but do not allow rent to fall even where market rents have reduced.

Upward-only rent reviews: ban on the statute book, but not yet in force

Insights 06.07.26

Buying a listed building is always exciting – they are beautiful, unique and full of character and history. However, they may come with more than a few skeletons in the cupboard as a result of past owners having undertaken works without listed building consent.

Don't Let Your Dream Listed Building Become a Legal Nightmare

Insights 29.06.26

The residential land market entered 2026 with improving sentiment, supported by expectations of lower inflation, an easing interest rate cycle, and a gradual recovery in buyer confidence.

Summer 2026 Market Update: Land Market Remains Selective

Image of ChatGPT Image Jun 22, 2026, 03_42_03 PM

Insights 21.06.26

England is heading towards an unprecedented concentration of Local Plan submissions before the end of 2026. For developers and promoters, the issue is not just whether a plan is submitted, but whether it can withstand the scrutiny of examination.

The Great 2026 Local Plan Rush

Insights 10.06.26

The Government has recently confirmed that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will apply to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) from 2 November 2026.

BNG Updates for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

Insights 21.05.26

Yesterday’s Scottish Land & Estates Conference in Edinburgh took place at an interesting moment for rural Scotland.

Building Rural Scotland: investment, resilience and backing long-term value

Insights 21.05.26

Our latest Todd Talk – held on Day 3 of UKREiiF 2026 - brought together Bidwells’ Head of Built Environment, Richard Todd, and Tilo Guenther, Director at the award‑winning Niall McLaughlin Architects, for a conversation that revealed the craft, curiosity and collaboration behind some of Oxford’s most admired buildings.

Todd Talk: A Fireside Chat with Tilo Guenther, Niall McLaughlin Architects

Rural Outlook 2024 - Is it Time to Embrace a Land Use Framework?

Never before has land been subject to so many competing demands. Could it now be time to embrace the concept of a Land Use Framework? And where does that leave farming, now in a largely unsupported world?

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Nutrient Neutrality Challenges: Key Takeaways for Landowners

18 months after it was first introduced, there are finally glimmers of hope for landowners and developers affected by Nutrient Neutrality.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Creating Nature Rich Solar Sites

With global agreement on the urgency of the climate crisis and time slipping away to reach our targets of a net zero power supply by 2035 and a net zero economy by 2050, the energy transition has never been more pressing. Solar farms have an important role to play in this transition.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Update on Rural Permitted Development Rights

Around 10 years ago, we saw the introduction of Class Q (agriculture to residential) and Class R (agriculture to a flexible commercial use) permitted development rights, which opened significant opportunities for barn conversions and rural diversification.

06.03.24

Introduction | Rural Outlook 2024

We approach the spring with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, both in terms of the rural economy, and wider macroeconomic factors.

2024

Rural Outlook 2024 - Sustainable Farming Incentive - Our Findings so Far

At the time of writing, Bidwells’ agriculture and environment team have been working with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2023 offer for three months and have had mixed experience with the actions chosen, the compatibility with other schemes, and the application process.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Biodiversity Net Gain: An Opportunity for Nature

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is the mechanism by which new housing, commercial and infrastructure developments in England will become ‘nature positive’.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Developing Your Land While Protecting Your Values

Legacy development is increasingly popular for rural landowners looking to develop their land in a sustainable way while benefiting future generations by creating high-quality, environmentally conscious communities.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Local Plan Watch

It’s essential for anyone that has land with potential for development to keep apprised of the opportunities arising from emerging local development plans.

06.03.24

Rural Outlook 2024 - Bright Sparks - Solar and Battery Markets Still Hot

Amidst a dynamic renewable energy landscape, developers are still scoping out new solar energy and battery storage projects in England, even though many considered this market to be almost at saturation nearly two years ago.

06.03.24

Rural Agency Update 2024

Over the past 12 months, there has been a noticeable increase in land brought to the market, marking a shift from previous years.

06.03.24

Rural Property Index 2024

The Rural sector faces challenges on a number of fronts…but despite the challenges ahead, rural investors can look to emerging opportunities.

04.03.24

May 2027

Bidwells Oxford Town & Gown 10K 2027

Bidwells Oxford 10k is the oldest run in our Town and Gown series and will be back on Sunday 9 May 2027. Register your place now. Don’t miss out.

09.05.27

Oct 2026

Bidwells Cambridge Town & Gown 10K 2026

Bidwells Cambridge 10k is Muscular Dystrophy's autumn run of the series and will be back on Sunday 4 October 2026. Register your place now. Don’t miss out.

04.10.26

Jun 2026

Creating a Scientific Superpower 2026

Brought to you by the Oxford-Cambridge Supercluster Board, the Creating a Scientific Superpower conference is back for its fifth year.

03.06.26

May 2026

Bidwells at UKREiiF 2026: Innovation Unlocked

Bidwells at UKREiiF 2026. Exploring innovation clusters, AI and robotics, clean energy, UK housing and social impact - with the people shaping them.

19.05.26

May 2026

Bidwells Oxford Town & Gown 10K 2026

Bidwells Oxford 10k is the oldest run in our Town and Gown series and will be back on Sunday 10 May 2026. Register your place now. Don’t miss out.

10.05.26

Apr 2026

Spring Local Plan Watch 2026

Join us this April for our Local Plan Watch Breakfast Briefing, where we will explore the key planning developments shaping the eastern region this Spring.

22.04.26

Image of green-and-blue-light-wave-of-energy-with-elegant-g-2023-11-27-05-32-19-utc

Nov 2025

Oxford Productivity Engine Conference 2025

Driving Productivity in Oxfordshire through Civic Transformation and Technological Revolution

19.11.25

Oct 2025

Amplifying Black Voices in the Built Environment

We are delighted to invite you to a special panel discussion hosted by Bidwells in celebration of Black History Month.

16.10.25

Oct 2025

Bidwells Cambridge Town & Gown 10K 2025

Bidwells Cambridge 10k is Muscular Dystrophy's autumn run of the series and will be back on Sunday 5 October 2025. Register your place now. Don’t miss out.

05.10.25

Sep 2025

Essex Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution Breakfast Briefing

Chelgate Local and Bidwells, in conjunction with the Essex Developers Group, invite you to join us at a focused breakfast briefing on the biggest changes to local government in Essex for decades.

12.09.25

Sep 2025

BioWednesday | Now is the Time to Go Big : Scaling Science and Tech Successfully

In partnership with One Nucleus we are delighted to invite you to our breakfast seminar, Now is the Time to Go Big: What Science & Tech Businesses Need to Scale Successfully, drawing on insights from Bidwells’ latest report Investment for Growth.

10.09.25