• Linden Homes appointed HP architects to work on the conversion of the former Invesco Perpetual offices in Henley.
• HPa obtained planning consent and produced detailed construction drawings for 46 luxury 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments.
• The Royal Apartments collection won 'Highly Commended' in the Evening Standard Awards (2010) category for Best Conversion.
• "HPa have designed the extension so sympathetically it looks as if it has always been there." Gary Taylor, Development Director – Linden Homes.

• The planning and property industries will aid the economic recovery, but they will operate best in a climate of certainty.
• Regional Strategies have been abolished - decisions on housing supply will rest with local authorities.
• Before the election, the Government proposed matching the extra council tax on each new home for six years post-construction.
• Once the process is clarified, we’ll devise innovative ways to maximise commercial advantage.

• New buyer and seller activity remains strong, with stock now 30% up from Q1.
• Home Information Packs (HIPs) have been scrapped – a move that has been widely welcomed.
• Our three new branches are performing ahead of expectations.
• A robust housing market is critical to economic recovery – so I'm confident the new coalition Government will not seek to negatively impact on it.

• Following more site launches, Q2 has again provided good new stock to the market.
• Visitor levels are consistent, with a visitor-to-sales ratio at an average of 1:18.
• We've seen strong sales with buy-to-let investors, including off-plan sales.
• Many developers are bringing site releases forward, with an opportunity to achieve sales at enhanced values.

• Our May auction saw the return of many investors, bidding confidently for vacant residential stock.
• 95% of lots were successfully sold, beating the national sales average by a long margin.
• Lots with market-led reserves achieved sales figures well above guide prices - in some cases, significantly higher.
• This may be a window of opportunity before the new Government’s expected cuts take effect.

• There's speculation that Capital Gains Tax will rise to 40 or 50% in the Emergency Budget.
• Early signs show that investors aren’t panicking – property is a long term investment for most.
• Our advice is to wait and see - the tax level may be lower, and taper relief may be reintroduced to encourage landlords to hold properties for longer.
• The Government should tackle the housing shortage and encourage more investment to meet rental demand.

Dilapidations protocol update

• In recent times, dilapidations on leasehold properties have been increasingly influenced by the dilapidations protocol.
• This means all the parties must work effectively to manage and resolve dilapidation disputes in a fair and reasonable manner.
• Failure to follow the protocol could jeopardise a legitimate claim for damages.

• Aldermore has entered the mortgage market via a select panel of intermediaries, of which flower IFA is one.
• This new lender does not credit score - useful for clients who have failed a credit score with a traditional lender.
• Aldermore allows County Court Judgements (CCJs) or mortgage defaults if over three years old.
• Maximum LTV ratios are 80% for residential mortgages and 75% for buy-to-let.