Contemporary Issues in Property and Society

Students are required to present an appraisal of a contemporary land and property issue. It is likely that the topics chosen will have given, and will continue to give, rise to media comment and political discussion at both local and national levels, for example: social constraints on ownership rights leading to new legal measures; preservation of heritage and the environment; sustainable development (including affordable housing); taxation of property; valuation of intangibles such as amenity, heritage and privacy; business practice, regulation and ethics, etc.

Students will be exposed to one or two real life mega urban regeneration projects in London which will be accompanied by a visit to the area. The purpose of the project visit is to examine the impact of urban regeneration in economically deprived areas, the socio economic and physical transformation of major urban areas and potential impact on the residential and commercial property.

Of particular interests are the Olympic regeneration area and the legacy of the games that demonstrate the strategic role of transportation, employment and skills development as part of the spatial planning and sustainable development. Key questions to consider are the impact of such transformation on local communities, quality of life and property prices.