East Midlands The Nottingham Commercial Property Market: An Expert Q&A
We caught up with David Bladen, Director of Musson Liggins, to chat all things Nottingham property -from lending challenges to where the commercial property market might be heading in 2025.
David Bladen
How would you describe the current health of the Nottingham commercial property market?
Nottingham is holding its own. Despite the wider economic noise, demand is strong in key areas - especially industrial and logistics. Thanks to its position in the East Midlands and great transport links, Nottingham is a natural hub for distribution. Offices are evolving too: flexible, modern spaces are in, while long, rigid leases are less attractive to Tenants. Retail has had its ups and downs, but the right units in the right places are still attracting plenty of interest.
Commercial lending has been in the spotlight recently. What’s happening in that space?
Lenders have tightened up. Higher rates and stricter checks mean deals aren’t as easy as they once were. That said, good opportuni- ties are still being financed - provided investors have realistic valu- ations, solid business plans, and a clear exit strategy. In short: do your homework, and you’ll find the banks are still open for business. It may be worth speaking to a broker who specialises in your area of business/lending.
Speaking of valuations, how important are they right now?
More than ever. With lenders asking more questions, valuations aren’t just paperwork - they’re the backbone of any deal. Outdated figures can cause real headaches, which is why independent, locally
Vgp Enters the UK Market
The park offers units ranging in size from 95,000 sq ft (8,825 sq m) up to tailor-made solutions for large logistics operations and is suitable for logistics services, light pro- duction and commercial activities.
VGP, pan-European owner, manager and developer of high-quality logistics and industrial real estate, has unveiled its first site in the UK.
VGP Park East Midlands is strategically located beside junction 24a of the M1 and the A50, providing direct access to the UK’s key logistics corridor. It has excellent con- nectivity to the cities of Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield to the north, and Leicester and the wider East Midlands to the south.
East Midlands Airport and the East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Terminal are close by, with a large and skilled labour pool of around 1 million people within a 30-minute drive.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2025
Phase 1 comprises unit 3, which is over 256,000 sq ft (24,000 sq m) in area and unit 4 (141,000 sq ft/13,000 sq m). Phase 2 comprises unit 1, which is the smallest of the units at 95,000 sq ft and 8,800 sq m, and unit 2, the largest (342,000 sq ft/32,000 sq m).
As with all its other buildings, VGP Park East Midlands is certified as BREEAM Excellent, with the option of working with the tenant towards a higher certification ranking. In addition, the roof is equipped with a solar panel installation, offering the possibility of on-site green energy production. VGP is a fully integrated, family-owned pan-Eu- ropean industrial and logistics real estate business with more than 100 parks located across 18 countries. It has over 6,755 mil- lion sq m in total lettable area and a land bank of over 8.7 million sq m.
Visit
www.vgpparks.eu/parks/east-mid- lands to find out more.
Significant Progress on Next Phase of Earthworks at Fairham
grounded advice makes such a difference. That’s where our team comes in, combining decades of local knowledge with an eye on national trends.
Where do you see opportunities for investors in Nottingham?
Industrial and logistics are still strong bets, especially around the M1. We’re also seeing a lot of creativity - repurposing old retail/office units and finding new uses for tired stock. With two universities and a young population, Nottingham has demand bubbling away under the surface. Adaptable investors are in a good place.
And the challenges?
Interest rates and construction costs remain tricky. Sustainability is a big one too - tenants and investors are increasingly looking for ener- gy-efficient, future-proof properties. The flipside? If you get ahead of the curve, you’ll be in demand.
Any final advice for navigating Nottingham’s market this year?
Surround yourself with good advisors. Every property decision - whether buying, selling, or refinancing - should be underpinned by solid, independent expertise. The market is full of potential, but it pays to go in with your eyes open. At Musson Liggins, that’s exactly what we help clients do.
For more details please visit
www.mussonliggins.co.uk
O’Brien Contractors Limited has made sub- stantial progress on the next phase of crit- ical earthworks at Fairham, one of the East Midlands’ largest and most ambitious mixed- use developments. The earthworks are a key part of the delivery of the remaining residen- tial parcels at Fairham, a transformative new neighbourhood on the edge of Nottingham. Once complete, Fairham will offer 3,000 new homes, over one million square feet of employment space, and 200 acres of open green space, creating a balanced community where people can live, work, and thrive.
Delivered by O’Brien Contractors on behalf of master developer Clowes Developments, in partnership with Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, the earthworks are part of a wider £100 million infrastructure investment across the 606-acre site.
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