Environment Bill

When it returns to Parliament, it is likely to include a mandatory requirement for developers to secure an overall 10% biodiversity net gain in all new schemes.

National Infrastructure Strategy

This strategy will be published alongside the Budget setting out plans for £100 billion of infrastructure investment and provide plans for all areas of economic infrastructure including transport, local growth, decarbonisation, digital infrastructure, infrastructure finance and delivery.

Retail Sales Rise for the First Time since July (Telegraph 21.02.20)

Attributed to a combination of a strong jobs market, rising pay and the Boris bounce, a miserable Christmas has been succeeded by retail sales surging by 1.6% on the month (ONS).  Clothing jumped 3% and food grew by 1.7%. However, household goods suffered a 1.15 decline while automotive fuel fell by 5.7%. The value of on-line ales rose by 5.1% on the month outstripping in-store sales.

Boris Bounce Helps High Street (Times 07.02.20)

High street retailers have enjoyed the biggest increase in sales in six years.  Like-for like sales jumped by 5.7% in January compared with a year earlier say BDO high street sales tracker.   However, there were warnings that the recovery was driven by heavy discounting and stock levels were high and buying orders fallen. 

Buyers Beware as Banks give high street shops the chop (Sunday Telegraph 26.01.20)

As they follow the money in e-commerce, top bankers are deserting the high streets to chase digital start-ups.  This means that retailers trying to gain capital to survive or grow, are going to bankers that are more risk averse. City fund managers are also treading warily. According to Accountant Moore, the lack of finance led to a 31% increase in insolvencies.