The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us into a new way of working and living that will change how we use our built environment forever. So what does the future look like for our towns and cities? We recently spoke at one of Shoosmiths’ ‘Future Cities’ think tank events to discuss what is next for the Solent region.
Solent partner, Tim Clark, attended the discussion which to share insights and ideas around what the future holds for the region.
A core theme from the event was the fact that, with a number of major new developments coming up and particular strengths in the marine, renewables, tech and manufacturing sectors, the Solent has a great deal to be positive about – not to mention the lifestyle benefits for both people and companies looking to move out of London.
One of the many questions posed at the event was whether the Solent region will bounce back faster, better, stronger than before.
Here is what partner Tim Clark had to say:
“One of the things we have seen is interest in occupiers coming out of London towards the regions and companies looking to downsize their London premises. Retail and leisure have clearly been under pressure, but generally inquiry levels have been quite good all the way through the lockdown period and, latterly, we have seen a number of deals moving forward, which is encouraging for the region.”
The panel discussion was chaired by Mehar Patel, Solent-based real estate partner at Shoosmiths. The rest of the panel comprised:
- Tim Clark, Partner, Vail Williams LLP
- David Fletcher, Assistant Director Economic Development, Hampshire County Council
- Fiona Gray, Project Director, Buckland Development Ltd
- Stuart Baker, Assistant Director Strategy & Programme Development, Solent Local Enterprise Partnership
You can download a summary of the full event via Shoosmiths here.